


Wings

by RenSquared



Category: Skip Beat!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Especially Kyoko, F/M, Fae & Fairies, Fluff, Horrible Fairy Puns, Humans, King Lory, Kingdoms, POV Alternating, Politics, Princess Kyoko, Questionable Romance Practices, Romantic Comedy, Seriously Everyone is a MESS, Slow Burn, courting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-01
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-01-13 01:28:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 116,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21235883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RenSquared/pseuds/RenSquared
Summary: After discovering that her fiancè cheated on her, Princess Kyoko of Vicinia is suddenly one of the most sought after bachelorettes in the kingdom. Between her father pushing her to start attending marriage interviews, the extremely rude man she encounters near the human/fae border, the Fae Prince that's trying to steal her heart, and the entire future of Vicinia on her shoulders- there's a lot going on in her life. And that's only the beginning.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! 
> 
> Welcome to Wings, a story that was written by two best friends that took way too long (literally over 3 years- yes, seriously), that we hope you enjoy reading. What started out as an April Fool’s joke, ended up being a joke on ourselves and the joke was to write this trainwreck. Our trainwreck and we love it so we hope you do too. Somehow it also ended up being a romantic comedy so remember to laugh occasionally. 
> 
> We hope you enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The Princess of Vicinia receives a welcome visit from her betrothed; The Fae Prince of Sylva receives an unwelcome amount of work to do._

Kyoko’s eyes flew open from a sudden lack of oxygen. She flailed wildly until the pillow that had been crushed against her face relented and she was looking into the scowling face of her best friend and handmaiden Chiori. 

“Get up already Kyoko!” Kanae complained from a distance. “Geez, are you going to sleep the whole day?” 

Kyoko sat up on the bed, winded, but in good spirits. She looked over to the door where Kanae, her head handmaiden, was standing looking equally as annoyed. 

She grinned at them both. “Good morning!” 

Chiori rolled her eyes at Kyoko’s cheerfulness. “Your fiancée will be here in ten minutes. You overslept.”

Kyoko blanched, throwing her covers off and flying out of bed. She launched for her wardrobe in a flurry of movement, throwing out dresses wildly as she searched for the perfect one to wear. One of them smacked Kanae right in the face and her friend cried out in indignation. 

“Geez! Watch where you’re throwing those!” 

Chiori chuckled as she moved to sit on the bed. “There’s no stopping her once she gets like this. You should know that best… Moko.” 

Kanae scowled at the nickname but also took a seat on the bed to avoid any more projectiles being thrown her way. 

Kyoko was dressed a few moments later and quickly swiped on some lip gloss, which was a trial in itself since she was smiling so much. 

She had known her fiancée since they were children. His parents were friends of her father, the king, and had arranged for them to meet shortly after her fifth birthday. It had been love at first sight for Kyoko, and their parents immediately arranged for them to be engaged. It had been a while since he had last visited and the idea of seeing him after so long was filling her with undeterred excitement. He was finally staying over at the castle, for not only one week, but for two. 

Kyoko turned around once she was finished and held out her arms, visibly nervous but absolutely radiant. 

“How do I look?” 

Kanae sighed and stood up, reaching out to Kyoko and smoothing out her long messy auburn hair. 

“Geez, at least fix your hair.” 

Kyoko smiled up at Kanae. She couldn’t help but get happy every time her friend showed her some affection. Kyoko looked towards Chiori for her approval. 

Her smaller friend rolled her eyes but shrugged. 

“You look fine. I don’t see what all the fuss is about anyways, he’s probably bringing that _ woman _with him too.” 

Kanae turned towards her with a glare, an obvious warning that Chiori completely ignored. 

“What? I’m just saying, that woman is around him 24/7, even the two of us _ combined _ aren’t around Kyoko that much. It’s just fishy is all.” 

Kyoko disregarded what Chiori was saying. “That’s because he has a _ proper _ handmaiden.”

Kanae smirked at Kyoko’s comment and began to usher her out of the room. 

“Yeah, right.” Chiori said, rolling her eyes. “_ All _ the fae in Vicinia know about _ Shouko Aki _. There’s a reason she’s worked for so many households. She’s as far from a proper handmaiden as they get.” 

A house servant that happened to be passing by saw the two and kindly smiled.

“Good morning, Princess Kyoko. I just saw your fiancée’s carriage pull up to the front gate.”

With alarm in her eyes, Kyoko dashed madly for the grand entrance staircase. 

Her fiancée was standing there, hands in his pockets looking both bored and annoyed- a combination of expressions that often graced his face. His handmaiden, Shouko, stood next to him speaking pleasantly to Sebastian, the castle chamberlain. 

“Shotaro!!!” Kyoko shouted, running full speed down the grand staircase a plume of dust rising behind her as she went. 

She flew onto Shotaro, and as she latched on, he stumbled backwards nearly falling over. He shoved her off with contempt in his eyes.

Scowling, he readjusted his now crumpled shirt. “I’ve told you a million times not to call me that.” 

Kyoko giggled, regaining her balance. “Sorry, I was just so happy to see you Shoutar- _ Sho _!” 

Shouko rested a hand on Shotaro’s shoulder. Kyoko startled, having forgotten she was even there. 

“_Behave. _” She turned her gaze to Kyoko a smile on her face. “Thank you for welcoming us into your castle, Princess Kyoko. It’s nice to see you again.” 

Kyoko found herself forcing a pleasant smile to her face, Chiori’s words from earlier had resurfaced and filled her with doubt. 

“Hello, Shouko. Nice to see you again as well.” She pushed the doubt to the back of her mind and forced her smile to be even brighter. 

“The two of you must be absolutely exhausted after the long journey here. I’ll have Sebastian take you to your rooms, we can catch up over dinner!” 

Sho frowned, crossing his arms across his chest. “Dinner? I’m really tired, we’ve been travelling for the last three days to get here.” 

Kyoko pouted a bit, but a mischievous grin quickly took over as she remembered the surprise she had in store for him. 

“Well, I certainly understand…” She trailed off. “But I had planned for your favorite to be served for dessert.” The change in Sho’s expression was immediate, his eyes lit up and he took an involuntary step forward. 

“You… You don’t mean…?” 

Kyoko grinned then, immensely pleased that the boyish charm she had known when they were growing up had reappeared. The charm that she had fallen head over heels for. 

“Yes, I put in a request to the cook to prepare your favorite- chestnut pudding!” 

Without thinking, Sho embraced Kyoko tightly. “I could kiss you!” 

Kyoko blushed wildly but held onto the hug as long as she could before he pulled away. 

Sho seemed to remember himself and pulled his face back into the mask of indifference he usually wore. He cleared his throat and pointedly looked away. Kyoko frowned at how quickly the tender moment had passed. 

“Oh,” Shouko spoke suddenly, as if trying to break the tense silence. “I would hate to appear rude, we should greet your father before we retire into our rooms.” 

Kyoko’s frown was replaced by a smile at the mention of her father. He was an extremely kind king, who knew when to have a firm hand and when to diffuse a tough situation with humor. Of course, those close to him would know about his… eccentricities and wild obsession for theatrics. Nevertheless, she was proud to call him her father and even more proud to call him king. “Of course. Sebastian?”

Sebastian bowed deeply. “Certainly, I shall take you to King Takarada’s throne room immediately.” 

~-~

Yashiro was talking Kuon’s ear off yet again. Kuon kept walking to the edge of the forest, ignoring Yashiro’s complaints. 

Yashiro grabbed Kuon’s arm and spun him around. “Are you even listening to me?”

Kuon shrugged his shoulders. “Depends, what were you saying?”

Yashiro rolled his eyes. “I _ said _ we can’t go into town. You know that.”

“I know that we _ shouldn’t _ go into town. Nobody ever said we couldn’t.” Kuon retaliated. 

Yashiro huffed in frustration. “We have things to do. _ You _have things to do. Important things that must be done today!” 

Kuon dismissed him with a wave of the hand. “I’ll get it done tomorrow. Or if you want, you can do them for me. That way everyone’s happy.” 

Yashiro scowled. “How exactly am _ I _ happy doing _ your _ work?” 

“I don’t know. Figure that out yourself. I’m going into town.” 

Yashiro sulked until an idea for revenge popped into his mind. “And I’m sure your _ father _ would be happy to help me as well.”

Kuon turned around suddenly. “We both know that you wouldn’t.”

“Listen, as the son of our leader, people look up to you. You can’t just wander away from your duties.”

Kuon sighed. He hated whenever Yashiro was right. Which was increasingly often these days.

He had been getting tired of staying in the forest all day, every day with nothing new. Same boring duties, look over paperwork, settle territorial disputes, listen to long boring discussions with group leaders. His father, Kuu Hizuri, was the leader of the Free Fairies- a group formed after the 6th Great War. Unfortunately, being his son, Kuon had to live up to those expectations. The pressure had been building up on him for years, and the closer he got to taking over, the more terrified he felt about it all. Kuon was meant to lead his people as wisely and strongly as his father had, but he wasn’t sure it was possible.

Their kind had been indentured servants to humans for centuries and after a riot spread like wildfire across them, an uprising had started and began the first of the six wars. After years upon years of bloody war between Humans and Fae, Kuon’s great-grandfather had finally decided that no more blood of his kind needed to be spilled and initiated a treaty with the humans that had finally brought them to peace. And although peace had been achieved, blood was not all that had been lost. 

The Fae had once been a powerful group of beings with the ability to wield magic and fly through the skies with their iridescent wings. What had them indentured in the first place was that humans had learned how to dampen their powers until they couldn’t use them anymore. But that was centuries ago and now it was extremely rare for a fairy to call upon their wings and even _ more _ rare to be able to wield magic. The fae weren’t all that different from humans now, which was likely the reason for them finally agreeing to peace. 

Not all fairies had wanted freedom though, and those that didn't had remained in human towns serving as attendants and handmaidens or working in stores and restaurants. 

Kuon took one last glance towards the town before following Yashiro back. 

“You know this is for the best, Kuon.”

When they had returned, the two were greeted by Kijima. 

“Hey guys. Are you coming from town? You know I hate being left behind when you go out on adventures, _ especially _ into human territory.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “Humans can’t seem to get enough of me.” 

Kuon brushed past without acknowledging him. Yashiro cast him an apologetic smile and walked behind Kuon. Of course, this didn’t stop Kijima from tagging along. 

“So, where are we headed now?” Kijima asked cheerfully, slinging his arms across their shoulders. He was like a puppy who desperately needed love and attention.

“Hey, I have an idea.” Kuon suddenly said. “How about we let Kijima do my work for me?” 

“Work?” Kijima piped up immediately, now that he was finally being acknowledged. “I don’t do work. Not even for money. Work makes you age early. Gives you wrinkles, grey hairs. I _would_ _not_ look good with wrinkles. Ruins my entire aesthetic.” 

Kuon was about to make a snide remark when he was suddenly interrupted.

“Kuon. Where have you been?” His father asked airily although, as Kuon looked over to him, his blue eyes were swimming with irritation.

Kuon bit his bottom lip. Shirking off his duties was always fine until his father realized he was doing it. Kuon didn’t think he could suffer through another lecture. His father had a way of sounding completely calm while clearly being agitated, a quality Kuon both admired and feared from him.

“Well… I was on my way to do my work when Yashiro here needed my help. Right, Yashiro?”

Yashiro realized the pressure was on him now. “Uh, yes sir. Kuon was needed to settle a fae dispute.”

“I was there!” Kijima piped in.

Kuu raised a neatly arched eyebrow. “Were you now?” 

“Um…” Kijima suddenly looked bashful and turned his attention to the ground, moving his foot around nervously. “It may have actually… been about me.” 

Both Kuon and Yashiro struggled to not let their bewilderment show on their faces. 

“About you?” Kuu questioned. 

“Uh. Yes. You see a man has needs and whatnot and when certain people are not around to satisfy those needs a man may turn to others that _ are _ there.” A smirk pulled Kijima’s lips up to one side. “Or multiple and various others. It would depend on the need.” 

The three men listening to him frowned in distaste. “Enough.” Kuu interrupted. “Please get to the point.” 

“Well, it was actually quite funny really. Two women who had previously not known the other existed suddenly found out and then they each found out that they both knew me and it was simply downhill from there.” 

Kuu looked extremely displeased. “Right. Well… see to it that you don’t make that kind of disturbance again. We need to stay united as a whole.” 

“Certainly not inciting catfights among the local women.” He mumbled to himself. “Anyways, Kuon, be sure to return to your duties now.”

“Yes_ , sir _.” Kuon stated sarcastically. 

Kuu rolled his eyes at his son’s antics. “If you want to start calling me sir, I might just make it a law that everyone addresses you as _ prince _.” 

Kuon’s face morphed into disgust. “Don’t.” 

“Get to work or I’ll seriously do it.” Kuu threatened, a grin betraying his words.

“Alright, alright. I’m going.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _And so the two meet by happenstance. _

“Have you even kissed yet?” Chiori asked suddenly, catching Kyoko off guard and nearly causing her to fall over. 

“Chiori!” Kanae chastised sharply. 

The three of them were walking the castle gardens early in the morning before the afternoon heat set in and made it almost unbearable to be out. This summer was brutal and certainly wasn’t getting any better _ or _ cooler. 

“What?” Chiori snapped irritatedly. “I’m just asking a question. The two of you have been engaged for how long now? And never even snuck a kiss? Not even one? Even though he loves you _ so _ much? You know, most men his age are already fathers, and he’s not even laid a finger on you? That’s some real determination, I didn’t know he had it in him.” Her last words were tipped with just enough sarcasm that Kanae sent a glare her way but Kyoko remained oblivious. 

“We’re… just taking things slow. If we wait to kiss on our wedding night it will make it all that more magical. Don’t you think?” Kyoko picked a gardenia from a nearby bush and spun around with it in her hands. Her two attendants simply stared at her. 

“And did Sho agree to this _ taking it slow _? Or are you just too afraid to admit he’s not interested in the slightest?” Chiori’s words cut through Kyoko like a blade and the stunning sting of it caused her to falter and drop the gardenia. 

“Okay, now that is way too far!” Kanae seethed, whipping around to face Chiori who looked genuinely annoyed herself. 

“Too far? What’s too far is how far Kyoko is going to make things seem alright! It’s ridiculous! He’s _ not _ into you! I’ve seen him snuggling up to that garbage _ handmaiden _ of his at least three times in the week he’s been here! And spend time with you? Alone? Not even once! When are you going to stop pretending you don’t know the truth!? It’s pissing me off knowing that you’re going to just _ let _ him hurt you! Stop living in fairytale land, Kyoko, and _ wake the hell up _!” 

Kyoko’s eyes widened as she stared at Chiori. She was at a loss for what to say. 

“Chiori, that’s enough!” Kanae shouted. “Just because you’re miserable doesn’t mean you have to make everyone around you feel the same way! Just shut up already!” 

Chiori looked at Kanae with disdain. “You _ know _ I’m right. I can’t believe that you’re just going to stand by and let her get hurt. I’m not trying to make anyone miserable. I actually _ care _ about her.” 

Kanae stiffened and spared a glance at Kyoko who was looking at her with hopeful eyes. She sighed. 

“Well…” 

Chiori scoffed. “This is ridiculous. Face it, Kyoko. You’ve been played for a fool.”

Kyoko looked to Kanae again for reassurance but she had her arms crossed and gaze averted. 

“S-Shotaro loves me.” She stated, trying to believe it but was surprised by how much her voice wavered. “He’s… He’s probably just sleeping right now. So… I’ll go check on him. And he’ll spend time with me today. He’s just been tired lately that’s all.” She turned and walked briskly back towards the castle without waiting for a response. 

“Kyoko, wait!” Kanae called after her. 

“Let her go. She’ll have to see eventually.” Chiori snapped, crossing her arms as she watched Kyoko run to her “true love”. 

~-~

Kyoko was breathless by the time she got to the guest quarters. She was ready to fling open Shotaro’s doors and greet him with all the charm and cuteness she could muster. His eyes would light up like they did when she mentioned his favorite pudding and they would be in love and he would marry her. Taking a deep breath to settle her racing nerves, she raised her hand to knock against the mahogany door but stilled when she heard voices coming from the room.

_ “Listen to me, Sho. Don’t you think you should be spending more time with Princess Kyoko while you’re here? She’s your fiancé. She’s obviously head over heels for you.” _

_ “Who wants to waste their time on a boring girl like her? Come on, Shouko. You’re smart, sophisticated, sexy. I’ve never been with a fae before. It’ll be fun…” _

Sho’s words faded away as the blood rushed to her ears. Her blood felt like ice, starting in her toes and fingers and flowing inwards towards her heart that froze over and shattered like glass. Chiori’s words were ringing in her ears. How could she have been so stupid? How could she have been so naive? She created a fantasy in which her Shotaro was the perfect prince, but the facade had melted away, now revealing the cold and ugly truth behind it. The shock and ice running through her veins was being replaced by rage and fire. 

“** _ShotaroOOO!_ **” She demonically screeched as she threw the door open, unable to believe what she was hearing. 

Shotaro was sitting at the foot of his bed with a hand around Shouko’s wrist. The woman was standing in front of him and leaning down but she flinched and turned towards the door at the incredibly loud sound. 

“What the f-” Shotaro yelled, leaning around Shouko to see who had entered the room. His glazed eyes focused on the ball of seething wrath in the doorway. “Kyoko!? What are you-?” 

Shouko straightened out her hair and tried to make herself more presentable before the princess.

“P-Princess Kyoko! It’s not what it looks like! I swear!”

Her words didn’t seem to reach Kyoko’s ears as her fiery glare was still set on Sho. 

Shotaro looked at Kyoko with cold indifference. “Oh, for fucks sake. What did you expect? Honestly, I’m just surprised it took you this long. I was never attracted to you, and I never will be. You’re the princess? So, what? There are tons of girls out there with better bodies than you. You’re plain. You’re boring. And how could you ever expect me to _ love _ someone like you? Stop pretending that our parents didn’t practically force us together.”

Kyoko shook with a rage so acute it made her head ache. She lifted a pointed finger at him, hellfire blazing in her eyes. 

“_ You bastard _ . What were you in it for then, if not for _ marrying the princess _? If I’m so plain and boring? What was in it for you?” 

“You know no one else in all of Vicinia can make chestnut pudding like your chef does. Besides getting pampered every now and again like a prince wasn’t too bad.”

Kyoko’s jaw dropped open. 

“You… conniving, gold digging, arrogant, selfish, two-timing, _ idiot _.” She seethed. She snatched her engagement ring off of her finger and flung it at him. He just barely managed to dodge it and she only became angrier.

“I will curse you until the day you die, you _ disgusting _ worm.” 

Not bothering to wait for a response, because she honestly didn’t know what she’d do if he opened his mouth again, she spun on her feet and left the room, slamming the door behind her. 

Tears blurred her vision as she ran down the hallways, not really knowing where she was going and finding it difficult to care as long as she got away from him. She bumped into someone as she ran and muttered apologies as she attempted to keep going, but a strong grip pulled at her arm, yanking her back. 

“Kyoko! It’s us, stop struggling!” Kyoko sniffed and looked up into Chiori and Kanae’s concerned faces. 

“Are you okay, what happened?” Kanae asked, as Chiori loosened her grip from around her arm. 

“He… I just… I can’t right now. You were right Chiori! You were right and I’m an idiot!” 

Kanae’s face softened immediately. “Oh, Kyoko. I’m so sorry.” There was pity in her voice that only made Kyoko feel worse and she shook her head determinately. 

“No. I’m going for a walk. Don’t follow me.” She ignored their protests and dashed down the hallway, nearly knocking a servant over, continuing to run even when she got out of the castle, letting her feet guide the way. 

~-~ 

Kuon dodged behind a tree as Yashiro rushed by, looking for him. Now that he had finally lost that bloodhound of a fairy, he headed out into the human town. 

Passing a mirror in front of a shop, he stopped to look at himself. He had to admit, Jelly’s magic was incredible. Both his hair and eye color were completely different, he almost couldn’t recognize himself. No matter how many times he’d done this, it never ceased to amaze him. 

Kuon, or rather “Ren” now, walked towards his favorite spot, settled neatly between the border of the two boundaries: Darumaya. It was run by two older fae who seemed to be open to any type of company. He met them on his third adventure into the human town and they were kind to him immediately. Despite not knowing he was the “fae prince”, their attitude toward him was still inviting. 

As he approached, he noticed the owner’s wife comforting a girl he hadn’t seen in the shop before. From the looks of it, she was a human, which was strange, considering how close they were to the fae border. But then he guessed that him being there was strange too, considering his current appearance. 

He sat down in his usual spot and greeted the owner. The man gave the usual stoic nod in response, and Ren couldn’t help but focus on the girl. She was sobbing and making the most disgusting face he’d seen in a long time. Okami-san finally noticed that Ren had entered and turned to greet him.

“Good morning, Ren.” She noticed his curious glance over towards the crying girl and her face fell. “This poor girl came in here not too long ago, I’ve tried asking her if she wanted anything but she didn’t answer, so I just gave her some hot tea.” She cast another pitiful glance towards the girl. “I wonder what in the world could be wrong…” 

Ren nodded in response, but he could only think of how annoying the girl was being. Okami-san was busy and this girl was unnecessarily taking up her time with pointless dramatics. 

“Okami-san I can handle this. Your customers need you.”

She nodded her head and thanked Ren as she headed back into the kitchen. When she was out of range, Ren directed a glare toward the girl.

“You’re taking up Okami-san’s precious time with your nonsense. Whatever’s wrong, you need to say it, or suck it up. Stop making a scene.”

The girl looked up, and even though the tears weren’t streaming down her face, her eyes were still wet and puffy. “I never asked her to comfort me.”

“Well, that’s just how Okami-san is. What's your name?”

She sat up and looked Ren in the eyes. “I’m… Kyoko. My name is Kyoko.”

“Alright. My name is Ren. So, what happened to you? Caught your boyfriend cheating?” 

She sniffled and glared at him in response.

Ren huffed. “Wow, seriously? I will never understand how girls could be so stupid as to fall for guys like that. You can’t tell me you didn’t know.”

“What do you mean ‘guys like that’?! He is _ nothing _ like ot-”

She stopped mid sentence when she realized what she was doing. Ren noticed her change in attitude and decided to change the topic. “Well, are you hungry? I could buy you something to eat?”

“Oh. Oh no. I could never have you buy me food. That’s not fair for you to spend money on me. We just met.” Kyoko looked flustered and her expression reminded Ren of a chipmunk.

He stifled a chuckle and looked her over. “How about a walk, then? It’s free, and it might get your mind off of things.”

She looked hesitant. 

“I won’t even talk to you, we can just be broody and depressing together.”

Kyoko smiled despite herself and stood up. 

“Wow! You can smile? Color me impressed.” Ren did an exaggerated gesture as he pointed to the door. “You first, my lady.”

Kyoko nodded in his direction before heading towards the door. 

~-~

Ren kept true to his word and didn’t speak to her at all as they walked the border of the two territories. Kyoko knew it like the back of her hand, having spent so much time learning the politics and history of the world, and was almost surprised when Ren seemed to be leading them. Humans tended to stay a good distance away from the border. She looked up at him, actually having to crane her neck up a bit to see his face since he was so tall. She noted in the back of her mind that she never had to do that when looking at Shotaro and instantly felt rage bubble up inside of her. 

She didn’t want to think about him right now. 

“So…” She finally said, saying something just to break the silence and having no idea what to say afterwards. 

Ren glanced down at her, seeming surprised. “What?” 

“Do you come here often?” She asked, regretting the words the instant they left her mouth. 

Ren smirked and she regretted asking even more. 

“That sounds like it came straight out of the flirting playbook of a friend of mine. Are you trying to hit on me?”

Kyoko stopped in her tracks, a deep frown setting in. “Hit on you? No. I’m just trying to make conversation, you look like you know this area well. Are you _ always _ this conceited?” 

“It was a joke. You don’t seem like the type to do that. But, to answer your question, I am not conceited, and yes, I’ve been around here a few times.” He smiled in her direction, which for some reason, almost made Kyoko blush.

She was flustered now, wondering if her bad mood had made her interpret him incorrectly. She toyed around with the idea of an apology but he had been pretty rude to her when they first met, so maybe that was just his personality. 

“You know I rarely ever see other humans at the Darumaya.” Ren began. “What makes you come so close to the border?”

“You’re the only human that hangs out around here? Guess you’re a little odd then.” Kyoko joked, idly watching a squirrel run up a tree. “As for me, I just wanted to get away from everything. That restaurant is the closest thing to away as I can get without crossing the border. I honestly didn’t even know there was a restaurant all the way out here.”

“Oh, so a runaway?” Ren wondered. “Let me guess, you live in the heart of the city? Are you a noble? Couldn’t live up to mommy and daddy’s expectations could you?”

Kyoko stiffened, “You don’t know anything about me.” 

Ren stopped and looked at her. “I don’t? Well… _ princess _, maybe you’d like to inform me?”

Kyoko couldn’t help the disgust from showing on her face. The title sounded so _ fake _coming from his mouth. “Don’t call me that.” She snapped.

He looked surprised by her outburst. “Okay. Perhaps I don’t know you… But don’t presume to think you know me either.”

Kyoko was scowling now. “Unlike you, I’m not making wild accusations about someone I just met. What do you have against nobles anyways? You look like you’re from a well off family yourself.”

He turned his face away from her. “I don’t have anything against nobles in particular. Just… noble humans have… done unforgivable things in the past. Or maybe, the way I was brought up taught me that. Look, I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to personally attack you.”

Kyoko began walking again and after a moment Ren’s footsteps followed behind her. 

“Maybe you’ve been spending too much time here. But… I have to agree, human nobles have done terrible things in the past. Too much blood has been spilled for this border.” 

She could see Ren nod his head in agreement from the corner of her eye. “The new royal family isn’t too bad though. They actually try to make changes for the better. I have hope for the future.”

“... I agree. I also truly believe that the fairy leaders wish to do well in this generation… I think a lasting peace is possible as well.” 

They walked in silence once again. Each seemingly lost in their own thoughts. 

Ren looked off into the forest and a moment of alarm seemed to show in his eyes. “Is everything okay?” Kyoko looked off into the forest, but couldn’t see anything.

“I… um… I have to go.” Ren looked down at Kyoko. “You know... for a girl who was bawling over a boy, you actually seem to have a brain in your head. I wouldn’t mind seeing you again.”

“And for someone with such terrible people skills, you’re not entirely awful to talk to.” Kyoko shot back, but a small smile was on her face. “But… we’ll see.”

Ren flashed Kyoko another one of his signature smiles. “We’ll see…” 

Then, he walked off ahead at a pace that Kyoko could never keep up with even if she ran. She ended up watching him until he walked around a bend and was out of her sight, then sighed as she turned back the way they had come. 

She really didn’t think she would have, but she had thoroughly enjoyed the walk. It let her escape from everything just for a little while. 

Now she had to go and face all of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all the lovely comments last chapter! Hope you all will continue to enjoy <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The Princess becomes eligible for marriage once again... for better or worse; The Prince desires to meet her again. _

Kyoko was assaulted with questions the second she walked through the doors of the castle. Night had fallen, she had taken her time walking back into town, browsing through shops to pass the time. She knew that she had worried everyone, but she really hadn’t wanted to come back home, especially not with  _ him _ still there. If she even saw him now she had no idea what she’d do, but her father would not be happy with her. 

“Princess Kyoko, where have you been?” Sebastian asked immediately upon her entry. “Everyone has been worried sick, it’s not safe for you to suddenly disappear like that.” 

She shrugged guiltily, she didn’t really want to tell him that she had spent the better part of her day hanging around with some man she barely knew. 

“I’m sorry. I know I worried you all, I just needed to get some fresh air.” 

“Your father wants to see you.” She frowned slightly, her father rarely asked for her directly, more often than not he would just visit her in her room if he wanted to talk. 

“Okay… is he in his study?” 

“Yes, he is.” 

Kyoko thanked him and headed up the main staircase. She felt grimy, like she should probably take a bath after walking through the woods all day but she could do that after she talked to her father. 

She walked past her room and further into the castle where her father’s quarters were. His study door was closed and she knocked delicately on the wood. 

After receiving no response, she slowly pulled the door open, revealing the clashing sounds of metal on metal coming from the room. 

“Father…?” She watched, unamused, as her father sword fought with the royal guard. He laughed as he knocked the royal guard down to the ground, pointing his sword at the guard’s throat.

“Hello, Kyoko. You’re back, I see. I was just finishing up here.”

“Well, King Takarada, I must say you’ve only gotten better.” The royal guard bowed at Kyoko’s father.

“I told you Sawara, call me Lory. We’re practically brothers, are we not?” Kyoko noticed her father was using the puppy dog eyes again.

“Of course, your highne-…  _ Lory _ . I’ll go ahead and take my leave now.” Sawara bowed once more before exiting the room with a polite greeting to Kyoko.

When the door closed, her father’s expression changed to a more serious one. “Take a seat Kyoko.”

Kyoko wanted to dash out of the room immediately. Her father wasn’t the type of person to get serious often. Nonetheless, she obediently sat down in the chair beside her father’s desk.

“Kyoko, where have you been? Normally, I wouldn’t be worried but your handmaidens were quite concerned about your well-being this morning.”

The question reminded her of Shotaro all over again and anger arose within her. She tried to calm her mind for her father’s sake though. “I apologize, but I had something on my mind. I had to get out of the castle for a while.”

Her father shook his head. Kyoko couldn’t tell if he was disappointed or had noticed there was something she wasn’t saying. “It’s fine if you don’t want to tell me, but you can’t just leave the castle without telling people where you’re going. What if something happened? Shotaro would be-”

“I want to call off the engagement!” It had flown from her mouth before she could stop herself. 

“Oh? So what Chiori and Kanae said were true?”

Kyoko looked up in shock. “You… you knew…?”

Her father shook his head again. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. You were just so enamored with him. I urged Chiori and Kanae to push the two of you apart. I, myself, have told you time and time again about my feelings for Shotaro. But… You were always so happy when he visited. I couldn’t forcibly remove him from your life. But, as your father, I should have protected you better. I’m so sorry, Kyoko.”

Kyoko could see his eyes begin to water.

Kyoko didn’t feel any anger towards her father. He just wanted her to be happy. Besides, Chiori  _ had _ tried to warn her, and if her father had attempted to ban Sho… that definitely wouldn’t have gone over smoothly.

“So, if you want to call off the engagement I will be happy to grant your wish. However, I am curious… If I know my daughter well, and I think I do, you would have returned in a furious manner. Yet, you seem quite… calm. I wonder why…”

Kyoko averted her eyes from her father’s. There was no way she could tell him about Ren, but if she didn’t say anything soon, her father would know something was up. 

“Well, I went out near the border. There was this restaurant, and the people there helped me, I guess.”

She made eye contact with her father once again. “Darumaya, right? The couple there are kind. I’m glad you’re alright. You can retire for the night. I’ll have Sebastian send Shotaro on his way in the morning.”

Kyoko gave her father a hug before leaving to her room. She couldn’t wait to tell Kanae and Chiori about Ren.

~-~

“He actually said that to you and you didn’t punch him in the face?” Chiori gasped, sounding as disgusted as she looked.

“Geez, you say that like the princess can go around punching people in the face without repercussions.” Kanae said, rolling her eyes. 

“And you say  _ that _ as if people can go around speaking to the princess however they want and  _ not  _ get punched in the face.” Chiori countered. 

Kanae opened her mouth for a second but then closed it with a defeated shrug. “Fair enough.” 

“Well, he did kind of irk me at first but then somehow we ended up talking about hope for the future.” Kyoko explained. “I think we both feel pretty strongly about it, which is such a weird thing because that’s not necessarily a good conversation topic. But he was the one who brought it up.”

Kanae raised an eyebrow. “So, are you interested in him?” 

Kyoko scowled, instantly reminded of how terribly her last romance had gone.  _ If it could even be called that _ . “What? No. I’m done with romance for a while. It was just a nice change of pace.”

“Whatever, I’m just happy you’re not still crying over that idiot.” Chiori huffed, and Kanae nudged her with an elbow, glaring pointedly at her. 

“Yeah, yeah.” Chiori waved her off. “Can you stop acting like talking about him is going to break Kyoko or something? If she was that weak I wouldn’t be able to stand being her handmaiden.” 

Kyoko smiled at their bickering; it was exactly what she needed at the moment, the familiarity of their friendship around her. She could go for a hug too, but that was probably asking too much. 

“I might go to see him again though. I don’t know. But, if I do, you have to promise not to tell anyone.”

Chiori shrugged her shoulders. “Who would we even tell?” 

“If your father asks, we’ll provide an alibi for you. We all know he has a tendency to overreact to certain things.” Kanae assured. 

The three of them shared a knowing look. 

“That reminds me, Kyoko, does this guy  _ know _ that you’re the princess? I find it hard to believe he would say such things about you if he did and he called you a noble, correct?” 

Kyoko thought for a moment, she was so used to people treating her as an average citizen outside the castle that his behavior didn’t seem that abnormal. She had grown up with the people of the city after all, they loved her and respected her, but they didn’t treat her like royalty- which she had made a point of. She didn’t  _ want _ to be treated like royalty.

Though, he  _ had _ asked her what her name was.

“No… I don’t think he does. He said something about being raised a certain way so maybe that has something to do with it. I don’t think I’ve seen him around before either. Maybe he’s visiting from a neighboring town.” 

Chiori and Kanae shared a look. 

“Maybe you should keep it that way. Get to know him a little more. Make sure he doesn’t have any ulterior motives.” Kanae advised, rolling her eyes at the look on Kyoko’s face. “You rarely meet anyone that you haven’t known since you were a baby. I’m just saying to be careful is all.”

“Okay, okay. I will. I won’t tell him.” 

“Just until you know more about him.” Chiori added. 

~-~

Despite the lectures he had to receive when he got back, Kuon was in fairly high spirits after the day before. That girl, Kyoko, was very hard-headed but… interesting. He hoped to see her again, but there was no way he could get out of things today. As he sat up, he noticed that Yashiro was standing in his doorway.

“I may not know what you were doing yesterday, but that smile on your face sure says a lot.”

Kuon’s smile was immediately removed from his face. He looked at Yashiro with concern. “Are you sure you’re not just seeing things?”

“Were you meeting a girl? Is that why you’ve been sneaking off into the town?”

Kuon smirked at him without saying a word.

Yashiro challenged him with his eyes. “Don’t tell me you’re becoming like Kijima, are you?! Kuon! Kuon?!”

Kuon brushed past him nonchalantly. “I don’t think it’s a problem if humans love me, is it? As a matter of fact, that’s part of my job.” He turned to smile at Yashiro before walking away to go see his father. Of course, Yashiro tagged along spouting out nonsense as usual.

“Kuon.” Kuu greeted as his son entered the main office building. “You actually came here of your own volition? Your mother would be glad to hear you’re beginning to make an effort. Unfortunately, we have nothing for you to do here.” 

“Speaking of…” Kuon said, peering behind his father.

His mother was walking up with a group of women surrounding her. She was speaking in hushed tones to them all, and Kuon found himself strangely curious as to what they were discussing.

“Okay, so we have to hurry, and remember not a word to anybody. It’ll be a surprise.” Julienna finished, and the women ran off to carry out whatever task his mother had sent them to do.

“Hello, mother. You look radiant this morning.” Kuon said with a charming smile.

“Oh, hush.” His mother grinned, and she was obviously bathing in the compliment. “Did you do something wrong? It’s far too early to be buttering me up with compliments.”

“Actually, no. Not today. Father said as much.” Kuon beamed.

“Oh, really?” Julienna glanced over at Kuu with a raised eyebrow. “So, he didn’t lecture you about how you should do your  _ own _ work and not let Yashiro do all of it for you, like he always does?” 

Her attention turned to Yashiro and she moved a stray lock of his hair into its place. “Dear, you  _ have _ to stop doing that. How will he ever learn how to do it himself? Besides, don’t you have your own duties to attend to?”

“I manage my time well.” Yashiro argued. 

“Hey, who’s your child here…? I work hard too, mother.” Kuon argued, bringing out the puppy dog eyes.

“Is this really the time to be arguing that you  _ work hard _ when you’ve made someone else do your work?” Julienna snapped, crossing her arms. 

Kuon wrapped an arm around Yashiro’s shoulders.

“Mother, it’s collaborative teamwork.” 

His mother looked less than impressed. “Right. You tell Yashiro what to do and he does it for you. That’s one part of being a leader, but what about the rest? What about taking  _ responsibility _ ?”

“I take  _ full _ responsibility for all the work Yashiro does, mother.” Kuon laughed.

“Do you think that the lives of every citizen in Sylva is a joke, Kuon?” Julienna deadpanned and Kuon knew he had gone too far. “One day, all of them will be your responsibility and I need you to be ready for that. I don’t think you are right now.”

Kuon removed his arm from around Yashiro.

“Mother, I- I know… I just…” Kuon glanced over at his father. “I’ll do better... I will. Have some faith in me.”

“I have all the faith in the world in you, sweetheart.” His mother said and her expression softened. “If I didn’t, I would have handed over your position to Yashiro a long time ago.” 

Kuon chuckled at his mother’s comment. 

“Great. So, while I’m still riding on your faith… Do you have faith in me to let me leave because all my work for today is complete?” Kuon pleaded.

Julienna sighed and looked over at Kuu once again. “He takes after you, you know that?”

His father chuckled. “I would say he takes after you, love.” 

His mother pointedly ignored that statement and turned back to Kuon. “Make some effort, okay? Fun today, work tomorrow.” 

She stepped forward to kissed him on the head, and then pinched his cheek a tiny bit too hard. “I love you.” 

“I love  _ all _ of you.” She said when she began walking towards the exit. “But I have important things to attend to, so I’ll be off. Nobody get into too much trouble, okay?”

With another wave, she left. 

Kuon couldn’t help but feel like dashing over to Jelly’s immediately, but he stood there patiently as his mother walked off.

“So, father? I’ll see you later.”

“Yes, I’ll see you later, son.” Kuu waved, an amused smile on his face. 

Kuon gladly left, and he was attempting to devise a plan to get rid of Yashiro when he spotted Kijima. “Kijima! It’s great to see you! Where have you been? Come here buddy!” 

Kuon wrapped his arm around Kijima and began to whisper in his ear. “Listen, Yashiro has been wanting to get closer to one of your friends, but he’s a little shy. Help him out won’t you?”

Kijima beamed at the idea. “Leave it to me!” He grabbed Yashiro and started dragging him off in the other direction, ignoring all of his complaints. He turned to Kuon to wink at him before dragging Yashiro even further.

Kuon smiled to himself victoriously, Kijima might not be the most intelligent fairy, but he was a damn great friend when Kuon needed him to be. Like Yashiro, Kijima and Kuon had been friends their whole lives. Although Kuon found him annoying at times, he was practically a brother to him. His own mother often treated Kijima like her own son and made sure that he was being taken care of while his parents were away on frequent diplomatic trips around the world. Kuon couldn’t imagine how hard it must’ve been for him growing up, especially since his own family was partially to blame. All the same, he couldn’t bring himself to invite Kijima more into his life. 

Kuon walked towards Jelly’s home, and looked around once more to insure he wasn’t followed. he didn’t bother to knock before entering, it was almost like a second home to him. “Jelly, I’m here.”

She came out of her bedroom and a smile emerged on her face as she saw Kuon. “I thought you couldn’t make it today!”

“Change of plans. Besides, I would’ve come anyways. I have to tell you something.”

Jelly was practically jumping with excitement. “Well, sit down, sit down. After you tell me we can get to work on my magic. I’ll go get some tea for us.”

Jelly was one of the few fairies who could still use her magic. Unfortunately, magic was restricted within the domain of both Sylva and the human territory as part of the treaty, so she could only practice out here in the forest. Whenever she got a chance to use her magic, she loved it. She particularly had a liking to appearance magic, which made Kuon her favorite “customer,” not that he ever actually paid for anything.

She came back with the tea and sat a cup down in front of Kuon. “So, tell me, tell me!”

Kuon trusted Jelly with all of his deepest secrets. Even though it wasn’t really a secret at the moment, he felt he should tell her about Kyoko.

“So, at Darumaya yesterday, there was a human girl there. She was annoying at first, but she’s actually interesting to talk to once you get to know her. She actually seemed to care about the fairies. Plus, when she wasn’t crying, she was… pretty.”

Jelly had a small smile on her face as she sipped her tea. “You want to meet her again today?” 

The expression on Kuon’s face changed. “I’m not going back again today to meet her. I’m going today because I like hanging out with the fairies in town. It has nothing to do with her. If she just so happens to be there, though… I wouldn’t mind, I suppose.”

Jelly giggled at Kuon’s response. “You’re so easy to read, Kuon. Well, we don’t want to keep such a pretty girl waiting, do we?”

~-~

After a while of going back and forth with Kanae and Chiori about whether or not to go back to the Darumaya today, Kyoko found herself out on the town streets dressed somewhat more casually than normal to protect her secret. She really wasn't lying to him if it was just not outright telling him. It had nothing to do with her if he didn't know that she was the princess. It was common enough knowledge. And maybe… maybe she didn't really want to be judged on that pedestal. Shotaro's words were still ringing in her head. She was quite plain looking. She didn't have the natural beauty of Kanae, the cuteness of Chiori, or the mature grace of Shouko. She was just… Kyoko. Nothing special. 

Suddenly, a chill ran down her spine. A familiar sensation that was always associated with a certain annoyance. She sensed more than felt the hand reaching out for her and brushed it off, turning around to face that silver-haired man.

"Ah, if it isn't my favorite princess, Kyoko." A deep voice drawled way too close to her ear.

Kyoko scowled at him. "What do you want, Reino?" 

"For you to let our spirits collide and allow me entrance into your heart." He grinned.

She frowned, unamused. 

"Ah, is that not a good line? Miroku told me you might enjoy hearing something like that." 

"Tell him to work on his pick-up lines." Kyoko snapped and turned to leave. 

He reached out and held on to her arm. "I argued that I could just tell you that I would enjoy your company for an afternoon." 

Kyoko shook her arm from his grasp. "Then, my answer would be-  _ no, thank you _ . Now, if you'll excuse me, I have places to be." 

"Hold on." Reino said and he suddenly sounded so serious she couldn't help but stop in her tracks. 

"The energy around you is… different. Darker. Are you still engaged to that  _ Shotaro _ ?" 

Kyoko's face paled. How did he know that? Had… had Shotaro been telling people already? Why would he do that?

Reino, apparently noticing her bewildered expression, used the drop of her guard to step forward and place his fingertips lightly on her forehead. 

A strange, cool sensation stemmed from the touch and she felt an almost probing feeling inside her head. And as fast as it had happened, Reino retracted, and all the strange sensations seeped away. 

He was frowning now. "Oh. I see. I'm sorry you had to hear that, Kyoko. He was a fool to not realize the gem that he had right in front of him. To think he would try something like that in  _ your _ home. He’s absolutely despicable." Her eyes had widened and as he reached out a hand to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear she couldn't even focus enough to back away from him. 

"You're beautiful. Interesting. A great princess. Anyone would be lucky to have you." He was looking intensely into her eyes and the force of that intensity forced her to break the eye contact. Kyoko sucked in a breath she hadn’t known she’d been holding and worked the numbness out of her feet enough to back away from him. 

“I… I have to go…” She managed to stutter out. 

He watched as she walked away and she could still feel his eyes on her as she headed towards the border. 

~-~

As Ren entered Darumaya, his gaze fell upon Kyoko. She didn’t look as dressed up as she did yesterday. If he was completely honest, he probably preferred her as she is now. He walked up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder.

She jumped and turned with an annoyed expression. Once she recognized it was Ren, however, her face lightened up. “Oh, it’s you.”

Ren sat down beside her. “Something wrong?” 

Kyoko shook her head and smiled at him. “I’m fine. I’m actually glad it’s you. I wasn’t sure if you were going to show up.” 

Judging by her expression, that’s not what she had meant to come out of her mouth. He smiled, thinking of her waiting here for him to show up. “So, you came all this way for me? I’m flattered.”

Kyoko rolled her eyes in response. “Still conceited, I see.”

“Maybe. At least, you’re not still stupidly crying. I don’t know if I could’ve taken that face any more. Well, I could either treat you to a meal today, or you could show me where you live.” 

The flustered look on Kyoko’s face was enough of an answer for him. “Okami-san! Two mackerels in miso soup over here!”

Kyoko glanced over at him. “How did you know that was one of my favorites?”

Ren shrugged it off. “Maybe I’m psychic.”

“I’ve had enough psychics for one day.” Kyoko grumbled. “But thank you, anyways.” 

“So, is this your first date?”

Kyoko moved away from Ren. “A- a- a date?! No! No! NO! I just came out of a relationship. I have to keep my purity for when I fall in love again. I can’t be on a date!”

Ren chuckled at her. He loved seeing her flustered. He couldn’t help but get joy out of her frustrations. Just like a chipmunk. “Again. A joke. Calm down, princess. Speaking of which, when will you tell me about yourself?”

“I told you not to call me that.” Kyoko snapped. “And you already deduced that I’m a noble, so I’d say you know me pretty well already. While I know absolutely nothing about you.” 

“Exactly how well are you trying to get to know me?” Ren smirked.

Kyoko narrowed her eyes. “Such a flirt. Are you always like this?”

Ren beamed a smile in her direction as Okami-san placed the two bowls in front of them. 

“If you must know, I come from a small family that consists of only my father, mother, and me. I have two close friends and… I’m secretly a fairy.”

Kyoko’s completely perplexed reaction was enough to satisfy Ren for a lifetime. “Haha… very funny. I think you need to work on your joke material a little. Your ears aren’t even the least bit pointed…”

Despite saying this, Ren noticed Kyoko staring at his ears as she ate her soup. “Well, now it’s your turn… princess.”

“My turn to…?” Kyoko asked, feigning innocence as she ate another spoonful of soup. 

“Oh? Are we back to being stupid? Tell me about who you are, Kyoko.”

“Fine.” Kyoko sighed. “I’m… a noble as you guessed. Although, I’m not failing my parents expectations in the slightest. He, my father that is, is very proud of me.” 

“And your mother…? Is she disappointed in you…?”

Kyoko looked down into her soup. “Passed away when I was very young, actually.” 

“Oh… I’m sorry.” Ren apologized, eyes wide with concern. “If I had known… I wouldn’t have- I’m sorry. Do you remember her at all?”

“It’s alright. I don’t remember her very well, but the memories I do have of her are… not pleasant. I don’t believe she really wanted a child. I suppose I was a nuisance as a crying toddler.” 

On instinct, Ren reached out for Kyoko, but he caught himself before making contact. “That can’t be true. Who wouldn’t want to be with you? You’re fun to talk to, smart, prett- you’re… great.”

A mad blush erupted on Kyoko’s cheeks and she suddenly became far more interested in her soup. 

“Thank you. I… appreciate it but I’m not that great. I’m just Kyoko. Anyways, I’ve moved past it.”

Ren nodded his head in response. “I guess so. You’re strong, Kyoko.”

“Thanks… I, um, I should get going… I’ll pay you back for the soup, alright?”

Ren’s smirk returned again. “I can think of a couple of ways.”

Kyoko rolled her eyes. “I guess that answers my earlier question. You  _ are _ always like this.” 

Ren chuckled, waving at her as she left. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _ Circumstances bring them together again, yet they wear different masks this time. _

Kuon had been meeting up with Kyoko at the Darumaya almost every other day, although neither would admit that they were going there to see each other. Each with their own excuses for why they were there. They were getting along a lot better and Kuon enjoyed the time he spent with her, she was actually very entertaining to be around and he always found himself either smiling or laughing with her. He was looking forward to going to the Darumaya today to see her again but he realized very early into his day that he would have no time for it. 

“Kuon, do not even think about sneaking off today.” Yashiro stood in his doorway with his arms stretched out as a barricade.

Kuon stared him down as if to challenge him. “You’ve tried to stop me everyday Yashiro. Don’t you think you should give up at some point?”

“W-well, it’s worked a couple of times… Anyway there’s absolutely no way you can get away with sneaking off today.”

Kuon was annoyed. It was the same thing everyday. The few times Yashiro had successfully stopped him from going to the Darumaya he had found out that Kyoko had been waiting for him there when he went the next day. He hated the idea of her sitting there waiting for him for hours and going home disappointed. Not that she was necessarily going there just to see him, he really _ would _ be conceited if he thought that was the only reason she was going there. But still, he hated the idea. 

“Hold on a second… you’re not playing dumb, are you? You really don’t remember?” Yashiro brought his arms down and did a little jig as he explained. “Well, today is the day of the King’s routine visit. Not to mention that Princess Kyoko will even be visiting for the first time!”

Kuon scoffed at him, half listening to Yashiro. “As if I care about the king and his stuck-up daughter coming here. Why do I even need to be here for that?” 

“It’s your duty as your father’s successor.” Yashiro informed. 

“You of all people should know how I feel about that.” Kuon said.

Yashiro sighed. “Well, on the bright side, it’s a day that you don’t actually have to work. Just show up, be polite and eat food. I would have thought you’d be more excited about it.” 

Kuon rolled his eyes. “I’d rather be stuck here doing paperwork. I really don’t want to have to exchange stupid pleasantries with them.” 

“Karma. You wished so badly for a day without work and now you have it.” Yashiro took the clothes that were laid out on his bed and threw them at him. 

“I also wished for a harem, and yet here I am without a woman in sight. Come on, we can skip together. Hang out, hiding from them like when we were kids.” Kuon said tossing his clothes to the side.

“You know we can’t do that,” Yashiro sighed. “We’re not kids anymore.”

“Yeah, I’m a leader with responsibilities and you’re my best friend who takes on all the responsibilities for me. Sorry about that, by the way. You know you don’t have to do that, right?”

“Of course, I do. What would you do without me?” 

“Crash and burn. You are my whole support system, Yashiro.” Kuon chuckled.

“And you’re mine.” Yashiro smiled. “That’s why we work so well together.”

“Yeah, I’m sure if I just married you, my life would be easier. I know my mother would be happy.” 

“I’m practically _ already _ her son-in-law.” Yashiro teased.

“Well, future husband, are you really going to drag me to the routine visit?” Kuon pleaded, attempting to use his puppy dog eyes.

“I am.” Yashiro grinned, holding out a hand. “Let’s call it a date if it makes you feel better about it.” 

“Fine. But when I start cheating, remember you drove me to this.” Kuon chuckled.

“If you dared to cheat, your own mother would probably get to you before I did. Now, let’s go, you have to get ready.”

~-~

“Not so tight!” Squealed Kyoko as Chiori struggled to lace up the back of her dress. 

“It’s not that tight, stop whining.” Chiori snapped. 

“Here’s the necklace.” Kanae said, handing the string of jewels over. 

“Hold her hair out of the way for me.” Chiori asked. Kanae sighed and walked over, doing as she was asked. When the necklace was secure around Kyoko’s neck, Chiori bent down to place gold heels in front of her. 

Kyoko stepped into them, using Chiori’s shoulder as a support. 

“I hate wearing these!” She whined.

“Well, this is the first time you’re going to Sylva. You have to look the part of the princess.” Kanae sighed, running a brush through Kyoko’s long auburn hair again. 

“And heels are necessary?” Kyoko whined. 

“Geez, _ yes. _ Stop complaining, you’re going to be late.” Kanae snapped, placing the diamond-encrusted tiara over her head.

“Are you excited?” Kyoko asked suddenly. 

“About what?” They both looked at her in confusion. 

“Going back to the territory? To see your own people… I guess?” 

“What people? We were both raised here. We see fae all over the place.” Kanae answered, going back to straightening up the mess they had made in the room.

“Besides, we’re not going with you, anyway.” Chiori added. 

“What? Why?” Kyoko cried. 

Chiori and Kanae shared a look. 

“We’re not exactly… Well… Fae that grow up the way we did aren’t really considered ‘fae’ anymore.” Kanae explained softly. 

“You don’t need to sugarcoat it, Kanae.” Chiori frowned. “We’re not welcome there. We’re barely welcomed here.” 

“Oh.” Was all Kyoko could say. She felt bad for asking them now, she had no idea things were that bad for them. 

Kanae noticed Kyoko’s expression and put an arm around her shoulder. 

“Chiori didn’t mean it like that. Listen, we know that you love us, and we’re grateful for that. But, you’re sheltered. When we go with you into town, people give us looks. The royal family has changed for the better, but the entire kingdom is… Well, they have a long way to go.” 

“Can’t we do something about it? The last war ended over a century ago!” Kyoko cried. “Surely things can’t still be that bad! I can talk to my father about it if someone is bothering you two.” 

Kanae and Chiori shared another look. 

Kyoko looked desperately between them as the silence stretched on. 

“... You’re going to be late.” Kanae finally said, pushing Kyoko towards the door. 

“Wait- hey!” Kyoko resisted as Kanae continued to push her out. 

“We’re going to stay here and clean up. Your father’s probably waiting for you by now. Get going.” 

And then the door to her own bedroom was closed in her face. 

Kyoko sighed and after a moment continued on to the foyer. 

~-~

Kuon tugged at his shirt. The leather was tight and felt practically glued to his body. Thankfully, the clouds were blocking the sun and keeping him from feeling even more uncomfortable.

“I thought they were supposed to be here thirty minutes ago.” Kuon glared at Yashiro.

“They’ll be here. Just keep still and stop tugging at your clothes.” He scrambled to fix up Kuon’s vest.

“Is this stupid cape really necessary.?”

“This is the first time the princess will greet you. You have to look the part of the-”

“I am _ not _a prince.” Kuon shot Yashiro a warning glance before going back to fiddling with his cape.

“You’re the _ successor _. It’s practically the same thing.” Yashiro argued, straightening out the velvet material. 

Just as Kuon was about to retort Yashiro’s statement, he heard the trumpeter alerting everyone that the King and princess were on their way. He rolled his eyes.

“There he goes, _ again. _” Every time the King visited the forest, it always turned into a show. Last year, he had a juggler and a fire breather show up. You would think he wanted to burn down the whole forest. 

Behind the trumpeter the sword swallowers made their entrance and began their performance. Kuon could almost feel the collective eye rolling of all the fae around him. Well, all except Kijima of course.

“Wow!” He cried, stepping forward to get a better view of the action. “Some of the women I know can learn a thing or two from that!” 

Kuon looked over in Kijima’s direction. If he kept this up, he might have to be removed before the festival even began. 

“Amazing!” He clapped, completely oblivious to the confused stares he was getting from the crowd of fae around him. 

After the sword swallowers, came the dancers in vibrant feathers and brightly colored jewelry. 

Kuon glanced over at Kijima only to see that he was winking and wolf whistling at several of the dancers. If he wasn’t trying so hard to keep a stoic appearance he might have lowered his head into his hands. 

After the dancers passed by, a giant platform of some sort appeared from the tree line. The platform was adorned with colorful flowers and jewels and even the twenty or so people carrying it didn’t seem like enough. Atop the platform was the human king Lory Takarada who was standing and waving at the many fae gathered to greet him. A few kids were running around trying to see what the fuss was about and he made a point to throw flowers to them. 

There was a girl seated next to him that Kuon assumed was the princess but she was turned away from him so he couldn’t really see her. Oh well, not that he really cared anyways. 

His parents took a step forward as the fantastic entrance came to a close and the platform was set down carefully. 

Kuu and Julienna clapped as the vibrant entrance came to an end and they bowed slightly, gesturing for Kuon to do the same. 

“My friend, a wonderful experience as always.” His father greeted, reaching out to shake Lory Takarada’s hand. The human king received his greeting but also pulled on the hand offered to him, embracing the Leader of Free Fairies openly. 

“The sword swallowers are new,” Lory laughed. “I have no idea how they do it, but I certainly won’t be trying it anytime soon.” 

Kuu laughed as well, “I don’t suggest it.” 

“Lory,” Kuon’s mother stepped forward with open arms. “It’s been far too long since we’ve last seen you. It’s only given you more time to be creative with your entrances. I feel as though I should start entering rooms in the same way.” 

The king embraced her warmly. “I’m sure you turn enough heads without all the fanfare, Julienna. It’s a pleasure to see you again. Can I expect to be served a delicious meal cooked by you tonight?”

“Of course!”

“Wonderful, I look forward to it.” The man smiled and his attention fell to Kuon.

“You’ve met my son, Kuon?” Julienna asked, gesturing to him.

Kuon took that as a signal and held out his hand. Lory Takarada looked at him for a moment.

“Looking more and more like the spitting image of you, of course.” He grinned, pulling Kuon in for a hug as well. 

“And Princess Kyoko, I presume. It is a pleasure to meet you.” Kuu bowed at the person standing behind Lory.

“Oh, she’s even more beautiful than I imagined!” Julienna squealed excitedly.

Kuon, at the sound of the name, turned his head to try and capture a glance of the princess. She stepped forward and curtsied to Kuon’s father. 

Kuon’s face was flushed. He could barely muster up any movement. The first thing on his mind, however, was to run from the scene. Just as he had made up his mind to do it, his father laid a hand on his shoulder.

“Kuon, meet Princess Kyoko. King Takarada’s daughter. Princess, let me introduce you to my son- Kuon Hizuri.” 

Kuon was fidgeting. The last thing he wanted was to make eye contact with her. She would recognize him for sure. He bowed towards her immediately, to avoid all forms of eye contact. He held his breath as he slowly raised his head, only to find a smile greeting him.

“It’s great to meet you.” Kyoko held out her hand.

Kuon hesitated. He wanted to yell out to her that it was him, Ren. He pushed the part of him wanting to burst out down and swallowed the distaste in his mouth. He held his tongue and forced a smile, reaching his hand out to accept the handshake.

“To you as well.” He managed to force out.

“Great! Now that we have met, Princess Kyoko, would you like a tour around Sylva?” Kuu was polite in his offer, but Princess Kyoko still seemed a bit hesitant.

“I can show her.” Kuon’s father was startled by his fervor. But as he looked at his son he was even more surprised by the seriousness in his eyes. 

“Perfect! I’m sure the two of you will get along splendidly!” Julienna pushed Kuon gently toward Princess Kyoko and he was sort of terrified by how excited his mother had become after seeing the princess. 

Kyoko looked up at her father and he nodded his head.

“Go ahead. I’ve been around here enough times. I know it well enough. We’ll see you two at lunch.” Lory said patting her back.

Kyoko looked towards Kuon and a smile emerged on her face as she nodded her head. His heart was pounding and he was frustrated at himself for even offering to show her around. He had wanted some alone time with her, but now he was realizing just how foolish of a thought that was. Even if they were alone, what would he say? He couldn’t very well say “Hey Kyoko, it’s me- Ren. Why the hell are _ you _ here?”. 

He was lost in thought when Kyoko tapped his shoulder and brought him back to reality.

“Shall we begin?” Her cheery voice rang through his ears as he looked around. King Lory and his parents had both disappeared and the rest of the fae watched from a distance.

“O-of course, follow me.”

~-~

Of all the times Kyoko had walked the border of the Fae territory she had never expected it to look like this. Rolling hills of lush green grass, small and frankly adorable little doors and windows built into the hills in a way so that the only visible part of the home was the entrance. Dirt paths wound in intricate ways along the petite neighborhoods and vast fields of crops and elm trees. 

Kuon was… not really what she was expecting. She hadn’t really been told much about him other than the fact that he was Kuu Hizuri’s son but still he hadn’t been what she was expecting. He was exactly what Kyoko had always imagined a real fairy looked like, back before the wars. His beautiful blonde hair came to his shoulders and his piercing blue eyes almost put her into a trance. His face was smooth and his skin was flawlessly pale. She desperately wanted to touch him and run her fingertips along his pointed ears. All he was missing were the wings which once were a part of the fairies as much as arms are a part of humans.

People stopped what they were doing to quietly watch the two of them walk by. She had on her tiara so she supposed that’s what the curiosity was with her and also why nobody approached them. Kuon had waved at a few people but didn’t approach anyone either. It was such a strange experience compared to what it was like walking down the street in the kingdom. People treated her with such reverence, always coming to her to wish her well and walking past street vendors always took her hours to get through. But here, walking with Kuon it felt like they were on the same level as everyone else. It strangely reminded her of her walks with Ren. 

“I’ll take you to see the greenhouse, if you’d like.” Kuon offered. It shocked her out of her reverie, and she turned to look at him. Her heart palpitated violently when she realized he was already looking at her and they made brief eye contact before he looked away. 

“Sure, I’d like to see it.” Kyoko responded, smiling.

She followed behind him as he led her towards the greenhouse. It was a tall building entirely made of glass. She had never seen anything like it before. The royal garden was always outside, and it was surprising to see indoor plants.

Kuon seemed to notice her amazement. “I suppose they don’t have these in the kingdom?” 

“No. Our gardens are outside… how do the plants survive in there?” Kyoko asked. 

“The windows allow the sun to get filtered through, and the gardeners water them and keep the temperature regulated. It’s kind of complicated, I don’t quite understand it myself.” Kuon explained, holding the door open as they approached. 

Kyoko walked through, a little surprised by how warm it was inside. It was strangely pleasant to be in an enclosed surrounding with the warmth and the smell of plants and soil. 

She wandered around a little, looking at the various plants, herbs, and flowers growing. It was interesting to see just how differently things were done here even if they still grew the same plants, herbs and flowers as they did in the kingdom. 

Kuon stood by the entrance watching quietly as Kyoko moved from plant to plant. “You like flowers or something?”

She leaned over a pot with a vibrantly blue flower bud at the brink of blooming. “I love them, one of my favorite pastimes is walking through the gardens with my handmaidens.” 

Kuon scoffed at her. “Handmaidens? I would’ve thought the fairy-loving king and princess would have gotten rid of that kind of servitude by now.”

Startled by his sudden coldness she straightened and turned to him with a frown on her face. 

“Excuse me?” 

Kuon chuckled at her. “Nothing. I guess it only seems fair. We lose the war, we become your slaves isn’t that how the story goes, princess?”

Kyoko was at a complete loss for words, he had seemed so pleasant a few moments ago what had changed in that short time? 

“Slaves? There is no slavery in Vicinia, Kuon. All of the fae are treated with the same respect and kindness we would give to any human.” 

“Any human? Do you even know if your servants are getting paid? I would think that’s proper courtesy for humans is it not? Or maybe you’re all treated like dogs who will roll over and lay down with anybody? At least our women have their dignity left.” Kuon spat, glaring at her fiercely. 

Kyoko’s mouth dropped open. “I-I make sure that my servants are well cared for! If someone really was being treated badly like you’re saying then they would be free to return here.” Chiori and Kanae’s earlier statements echoed through her mind. “But I hear that they wouldn’t exactly be welcomed back with their _ own _ people.” 

Kuon took a step towards her. “As if you would let them leave. I’m sure you couldn’t handle being separated from your own property, you probably wouldn’t even know how to function without them. Would you even be able to dress yourself in the mornings without them? How many of them did it take to put together this outfit today?”

Kyoko’s face flushed with shame, he was completely humiliating her and she was sure she hadn’t done anything to be deserving of all this resentment. Her kingdom might have its problems but she wasn’t bearing the sole responsibility of them. 

Her hands were nearly shaking as she curled them into her sides. “Why are you taking this all out on me? I’ve only been alive for seventeen years, I don’t bear the sole responsibility of everything that’s ever happened in the kingdom and especially not between the humans and the fae.” 

Kuon narrowed his eyes. “Tell me, princess. Just how _ stupidly naive _ could you possibly be? You are the goddamn princess. You are ** _directly _ ** responsible for _ everything _ that happens in the kingdom. _ Get a fucking clue _.” 

Before Kyoko could even begin to process what had just been said to her, the door to the greenhouse was opened and a man with short brown hair and glasses entered. 

He had a cheerful smile on his face when he walked in but as he looked between the two, his expression went from cheerful to wildly concerned. He discreetly squeezed Kuon’s shoulder as he walked past him and came to a stop in front of Kyoko.

“Princess Kyoko, a pleasure to meet you. My name is Yukihito Yashiro, but please call me Yashiro.” He stated, bowing slightly to her. 

“O-oh… uh… Nice to meet you.” Kyoko stuttered, completely in shock from the complete change in mood. 

“Your father…” He glanced behind him at Kuon. “Well, both of your fathers were requesting you return, lunch is going to be served soon.” 

A tense silence settled over the three of them, which was suddenly broken by the greenhouse door bursting open. 

“Hey! Yashiro! You left me behind, I was talking to one of those dancers! I told you to… wait… up…” The black haired man that had entered suddenly, took in the scene in front of him and his eyes settled on Kyoko. 

“Oh! Princess Kyoko!” He hurried over to her, grabbing her hand and lifting it to his mouth as he pressed a kiss to it. “Pleased to make your acquaintance. My name is Hidehito Kijima. But please, call me Hide.” 

The man looked up and for a second Kyoko thought he had winked at her. From behind the man however, Kyoko could clearly hear Kuon scoffing at him.

“Nice to meet you…” Kyoko responded, feeling dizzy from how much had just happened. 

Kijima didn’t bother to let her go as he stepped closer. “You know, you’re even more beautiful than they say.”

Kyoko blushed as she turned her face away. She could hear Kuon scoff at her once again before exiting the green house. 

“Shall I escort you back?” Kijima made a gesture which reminded Kyoko of Sebastian.

“Y-yes… Thank you.” Kyoko was relieved to have someone treat her so kindly after what just happened with Kuon.

When they exited the green house, Kuon and the man named Yashiro were ahead of them. As they walked further away Kyoko could only think of everything Kuon had said. He was rude and unnecessarily mean, but that didn’t mean what he said wasn’t true. She held onto Kijima as he led her through the Fae territory. She tried to avoid looking when she walked past Kuon and Yashiro who had slowed their pace.

Kijima was making small talk as they walked but Kyoko was barely paying attention to him. 

“You really are much more beautiful than they said, maybe even the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. I suppose that’s the royal blood running through you, hmm?” He bumped her shoulder lightly when she didn’t respond. 

“Oh. Thank you, that’s very kind of you.” Kyoko said hurriedly, realizing she was being rude. 

Kijima stopped walking and turned to face Kyoko. He gently raised her head up to his to make sure they had eye contact. 

“I’d love to whisper even more kind things in those cute ears of yours later, if you’ll have me.” He winked at her and Kyoko stared at him blankly until the meaning of his words settled in and then she was blushing more fiercely than she ever had before. 

“W-What? Wait what?” She stumbled. 

“Although, I have heard that you’re engaged.” He leaned in, whispering in her ear. “We can keep it a secret if you’d like. Adds a bit of a thrill, doesn’t it?” 

If it was even possible she blushed even more intensely. 

~-~

Yashiro had been lecturing Kuon nonstop since they left the greenhouse. Despite not even being there, he was able to interpret what had happened. As Yashiro was still going on about nothing, Kuon was focused on the scene before him. Kyoko had her arm draped on Kijima’s arm as they walked. He was still upset with her, but wasn’t she still interested in… Well, now that he thought about it, he didn’t really know her feelings about Ren. 

Kijima had brought them to a stop and was staring into her eyes. As Yashiro and Kuon got closer, they could hear what Kijima was saying. 

“...can keep it a secret if you’d like. Adds a bit of a thrill, doesn’t it?”

Kuon could feel the rage stirring up inside. He stopped in front of them and pulled Kijima away from Kyoko without thinking. 

“Just what were _ we _keeping secrets about?” He demanded.

Kijima looked shocked for a second but his face slowly eased back into his usual smirk. 

“_ We _ is it?” He echoed, the smirk on his face stretching even wider. “I didn’t get an agreement on anything yet, friend. Just what were the two of you talking about earlier? I’m always ready for whatever but with the princess… that’s a little obscene, Kuon.” 

Yashiro jumped up in between Kuon and Kijima. “Kijima, I look past all the other girls you shamelessly hit on but I **draw the line** with the princess. Please refrain from flirting with the _ king’s daughter _.”

Kijima looked disappointed. “What? Why? We’re all consenting adults here aren’t we?” 

Kuon’s glare transferred from Kijima over to Kyoko. “Is _ this _want you want?”

Kyoko looked back between the three men in complete confusion. Judging by her expression, she hadn’t taken anything Kijima said too seriously. 

Kuon remembered just how naive the princess could be. He grabbed her hand and walked away from the two men as Yashiro and Kijima shouted out protests.

“Listen, princess, you can’t go around letting guys take advantage of you like that.”

Kyoko didn’t respond at first. Kuon could feel her irritation begin to build as she snatched her hand out of his grip. 

“But I’m supposed to just let guys talk to me however they want? Thanks, but I really don’t think I want your opinion on anything right now.” She said, surprising Kuon with how angry she sounded and walked away before he could say anything else.

Kuon rushed to catch her again. Kijima and Yashiro had caught up but with one look from Kuon, Yashiro pushed Kijima forward and they continued to walk past the two. 

“Kyo- Princess Kyoko… I-I’m sorry. I know I should have told you how I felt about all of this in a calmer manner but as- as the Fae prince, I couldn’t let it slide. My emotions for my people run deep and I can be a bit hard-headed at times. I just… I want- I _ trust _ you to change things for the better, and I don’t want to be let down.” 

She had stopped after a moment but only turned around once he had finished talking. 

“I respect that. I respect you for caring so deeply. But _ you _ need to respect _ me _ . And realize that not everyone is an enemy. I may not care for your people as much as you do, but I _ do _ care for them. I was raised by fae, I spend most of my time with fae. Fae are some of my best friends. If there’s something we’re missing on our side or that you think we can improve on, then _ tell us _. Isn’t that what these routine visits are for?” 

Kuon looked at her with amazement and pride. She had come so far from the first time they met, and he became overwhelmed with his feelings for her. He wasn’t even sure if he was looking at her as Kyoko or Princess Kyoko, and to be completely honest he wasn’t sure if he was facing her as Ren or Kuon. What he did understand was that the thought of another man like Kijima touching her only made him all the more determined. He lost himself and gently brushed her hair from her face as he pulled her closer. He waited for her to pull away, but she simply stared into his eyes as he did with her. 

Somewhere inside of himself he had been almost hoping that she would have pulled away or looked away so maybe he would have had some restraint. But as he looked into her caramel eyes there was nothing that could have stopped him, especially not reason. He was leaning in before he could even think and when his lips brushed against hers, he felt the warmth of her mouth pushing back against his. It was an unexpected but welcome surprise and all too soon she was pulling away from him and his eyes were opening, and the moment was over. 

He was mesmerized by her eyes and perhaps would’ve tried to lean in for another kiss, if not for Yashiro’s interruption.

“What is taking you two so long? Lunch is going to start soon, let’s get going.” He looked between the two of them in confusion, noticing the strange atmosphere. 

Kyoko broke eye contact first and began walking away but Kuon stood still staring at the empty space she had left wondering what he had just done. 

“Kuon…?” Yashiro called after a moment. 

Kuon slowly looked over to Yashiro and quickly remembered his place. “Well then, we shouldn’t keep them waiting any longer.”

He ignored Yashiro’s questioning gaze as he walked past him, he had no idea how to explain anyways.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hahaha here we go, hope you all are buckled in!


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Tensions rise on either side of the border. _

“So, my son took you on a tour of the grounds, did he?” Kuu Hizuri asked, smiling pleasantly.

Kyoko was on the verge of responding when she suddenly realized the scenario before her. The large oak table they would be eating at was outside where the common folk could easily access it. Kyoko had noticed how there already sat food on the table and no servants to help serve it. It was certainly odd but the more she thought about it, however, the more it seemed to align with what she’d seen so far. All of their customs were so different from inside the kingdom, and she realized that she would have to become accustomed with their ways of doing things as well, if she hoped to be as good a ruler as her father. She regained her composure and walked towards the table to sit down next to her father.

“Yes… he did.” Kyoko answered, taking a sip of water to hide her nervousness. She was sure her face was flushed a cherry red and it was only out of the kindness of everyone’s hearts that they weren’t asking her about it. She had no idea what to tell them if they asked, anyway. 

Suddenly, Julienna emerged from the building behind them carrying a platter of vegetables. She sat the platter down carefully onto the table, then took a seat next to Kuu. 

Kyoko’s eyes widened in surprise, she had heard Julienna mention that she cooked but somehow she hadn’t realized to what extent that meant. There was so much food on the table, Kyoko would be completely shocked if Julienna had cooked it all. Even though they had met already, Kyoko was still surprised by the woman’s beauty. She was quite possibly the most beautiful person Kyoko had ever seen, and as she sat down between her son and husband, it became obvious as to why they were the ruling family in Sylva. 

“Julienna, I hope your cooking skills haven’t changed. I swear you’re a better cook than all the chefs I’ve ever had.” Lory jested. 

Julienna laughed, a tinkling sound like wind chimes in a breeze. 

“Oh, you flatter me, Lory! It’s just a hobby.” 

Kyoko looked up at the woman yet again. She looked down and observed all the food that was spread across the table. Cooking wasn’t something that any person of noble birth ever did in the kingdom. She was instantly reminded of the conversation she had with Kuon earlier.

“That’s truly impressive. I can’t even fasten my own dress…” Kyoko looked over to Kuon pointedly.

“Oh, well you’re the princess dear. No one would expect you to know such things.” Julienna dismissed, waving her hand. 

They ate for a while in relative silence, enjoying the meal that had been prepared. 

“So,” Julienna spoke up after a while, “Tell me about yourself, Princess Kyoko. Us girls have got to stick together while we’re surrounded by all these men.” She giggled at the offended faces the aforementioned men made. 

Kyoko was a little surprised at the sudden interest but wiped her mouth with a napkin before responding, “Well… I’m not sure what you’d like to know.” 

“Are you engaged, darling?” Julienna asked; she was smirking but something about the intensity in her eyes set Kyoko on edge. 

She almost choked on the air as she tried to register just what Julienna was saying.

“E-Engaged? N-No… I recently got out of an engagement actually.” 

“Oh? A girl your age should be seriously considering marriage candidates. Do you have another lined up?” 

“I… I currently do not have any suitors. B-but I’m sure when the right one comes along I’ll…I suppose I will get married then.” 

Kyoko stumbled to find the right words. Most of all, she wanted to avoid eye contact with Kuon, after what had happened in the forest she had been fighting looking in his direction, but it was like her head wanted one thing and her eyes wanted another. 

Julienna then turned to look in Kuon’s direction. 

“And you, Kuon, you’re much past the age when you should have been married with at least one child on the way by now.”

Kuon, who was quietly eating before, promptly choked on his vegetables. 

“Me? Why am I getting picked on now? We’ve already discussed this.”

Julienna looked between the two of them. “Well, don’t tell me you can’t make heads or tails of the situation? There is a perfectly eligible woman sitting right here.”

Kyoko finally glanced over to Kuon and looked away again as they made eye contact.

Lory cleared his throat in a theatrical manner. 

“Now, Julienna, not that I do not understand your reasoning, but Kyoko… Well, she’s my only daughter, I can’t just sign her off to the first available suitor, can I?”

“And why not? Kuon’s at that age where men are the most fertile and full of vigor, don’t you suppose it’s time we all were graced with some grandchildren?” Julienna looked Lory in the eyes, but more so as a playful challenge. 

At this point even Kuon’s face was becoming red and Kyoko didn’t know if she felt more embarrassed for herself, or for him. 

“Now dear, we don’t want to put pressure on the kids. They’re still young.” Kuu said, attempting to calm his wife down.

“And how old were we when we had Kuon? I was seventeen when we consummated our marriage.”

“M-Mother please…” Kuon begged, holding his head in his hands. 

“Julienna, really, they have all the time in the world to decide-” Kuu began, attempting to stop the tirade his wife was going on but he was immediately shut down. 

“I want you to look me in the eyes Kuon, and tell me you do not wish to marry Princess Kyoko. If you do, I’ll leave it alone.”

Kyoko immediately paused at the silence. She mustered up her strength to look in Kuon’s direction. She was eager, and yet scared, to hear what his response would be. He seemed prepared to answer when he glanced over in Kyoko’s direction. His eyes seemed to soften and he turned back to his mother.

“How I feel doesn’t really matter. Princess Kyoko is in charge of her own life. And as the princess she has a right to choose someone who  _ she  _ deems worthy. Not someone that we have forced upon her, mother.”

“Well,” Kuu interrupted. “That should put an end to this… disturbing conversation. Lory, Princess Kyoko, it has been an honor to share your company this afternoon. I hope you thoroughly enjoyed your stay here, and I look forward to meeting you two again.”

“It has been a pleasure being here, and getting to enjoy your magnificent food once again, which I can thank you for Julienna.” Lory stood up and motioned for Kyoko to do the same.

She hesitated before walking over to where Kuon was sitting. He stood from his chair and bent down to kiss her hand. She turned away as she felt her face flush. 

“I humbly apologize on behalf of my mother. She can be… well, you know. Anyway, it was a pleasure getting to know you, Princess.”

“A-And it was a pleasure to meet you as well.”

They both bowed slightly towards one another before Kyoko walked over to the waiting carriage alongside her father.

She cast one glance behind her as the carriage began to move, the fairy territory getting smaller and smaller by the second. 

“That wasn’t too bad was it?” Her father asked once they had been rolling for a moment. 

She didn’t respond - too wrapped up in her thoughts; for some reason Kuon’s last words to her had suddenly reminded her of someone but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. 

~-~

After the human king and princess had left, Kuon took a moment to gather himself after all that had happened. 

The day had been a whirlwind of emotions and he wasn’t sure he could even process everything. Kyoko - the same Kyoko he had been meeting at the Darumaya for the past couple of weeks - was the  _ princess.  _ He had then insulted that very same princess and then for some reason kissed her and he still couldn’t fully comprehend why she had kissed him back. 

Truthfully, he had been feeling guilty about lying to her about his identity, but now that he knew she had also been lying about hers he almost felt vindicated by his deceit. 

An arm suddenly slung over his shoulder, shocking him so badly that he nearly fell over. He had been mindlessly wandering around the town so he hadn’t heard any footsteps approaching him. 

“Hey, man! What are you doing spacing out over here? Where did the princess go? I wanted to give her something.” 

Kuon turned to face him, a scowl already on his face. 

Kijima held up a stuffed kitten, holding it up to his face when Kuon turned around. 

“A little gift I found when I was in the human kingdom a while ago. Kinda looks like me doesn’t it? I was saving it for a special occasion.” 

“Yeah, it looks like it’s been picked up straight from the trash. The accuracy is scary.” Kuon rolled his eyes.

Kijima didn’t even have the tact to pretend to be insulted. “How’d you know it came from the trash?” 

Kuon scoffed and brushed past him as he started walking back to the center of town. 

“Hey, seriously. Do you know where she is?” Kijima persisted, keeping pace with Kuon’s long strides. 

“She left already.” 

“What the hell? Really?” Kijima cried, and from the corner of his eye Kuon could see the stuffed animal go flying into the trees. “What a waste.” 

“Yes, if it makes you feel better I’m sure she would have treasured your garbage kitten.” Kuon flashed Kijima a sarcastic smile.

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s that girls always fall for you when you give them gifts. Maybe she would have given me  _ her _ kitten.” Kijima paused and Kuon could feel the smirk on Kijima’s face. “What do you think?” 

Kuon stopped in his tracks. He took a deep breath before turning around to face Kijima. He was doing his best to stop himself from shaking in anger.

“Her  _ what _ ?” 

Kijima smirked at Kuon, wiggling his eyebrows as he stuck his tongue out playfully. “Kitten. You  _ know _ .” He let out a laugh at his own joke and smacked Kuon playfully on the shoulder.

Kuon instinctively pushed Kijima up against the nearest tree. All rational thought had escaped his mind, and he was ready to finally let Kijima have what he’d been owed all this time. 

“Next time you even  _ think _ about touching Kyoko, I will  _ personally _ ensure that you regret it.” 

Kuon raised up his fist and as he was going in to punch Kijima, a hand grabbed his arm.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” The voice belonging to the hand yelled. 

Kuon hesitated but kept Kijima pinned up against the tree. “Come on, Yashiro, you know he deserves this.”

The hand pulling at his arm pulled even harder. “I don’t know what he did or what you think he did, but  _ please _ release him, Kuon!” 

“I didn’t really do anything.” Kijima argued, his voice hoarse. “I wasn’t the one who had my tongue stuck halfway down her throat, was I?” 

Kuon released Kijima in shock. “You… What are you even talking about?” Kuon stared him down, but he knew his glare was a bit more unsteady than before.

Kijima grinned as he adjusted his shirt. “I was wondering if you were trying to suffocate her or not. Wouldn’t have looked too good for us if you killed her accidentally.” 

Yashiro looked between the two, clearly missing something. “What? Kuon, what is he talking about? Who were you suffocating?”

Kuon looked Yashiro in his eyes. “Nothing. Nobody was being suffocated.”

“Well, then you’re into some really kinky stuff.” Kijima commented offhandedly. 

Kuon looked towards Kijima instantly, only slightly grateful for the arm Yashiro thrust out in front of him to keep him from moving any closer. 

“I… don’t really understand what’s going on here.” Yashiro admitted looking between the two in confusion. “But Kijima maybe you should let Kuon cool off for a little while.” 

Kijima shrugged, casting another smug glance in Kuon’s direction. “I’ve got some stuff to do anyways. Too little dumpsters, too many ladies to keep happy.” 

Kuon brushed past Yashiro and Kijima and headed back for his room. It’s been a long day, he needed to sleep it off.

~-~

Kyoko was exhausted when she finally returned to the castle but she still couldn’t wait to tell Chiori and Kanae about her day. 

“I take it you had a good day?” Kanae asked, as Kyoko paced back and forth in front of them for the seventh time. 

She had called the two of them into her quarters as soon as she arrived for an impromptu sleepover. They hadn’t done this since she was young and still had nightmares. 

“It was good, it was bad, it was… I don’t know!” Kyoko sighed, spinning around the room. 

Chiori and Kanae looked at one another. It was always obvious whenever Kyoko tried to hide something from them.

“How about you just tell us?” Chiori questioned Kyoko.

“And maybe sit down.” Kanae added.

“I can’t sit down, my mind is going a mile a minute! I can’t believe that actually happened!” Kyoko exclaimed, pacing back and forth even more rampantly. 

“That  _ what  _ actually happened?” Chiori snapped, tiredly. Both of them were sitting on her bed as she paced but Chiori had taken to full on laying on her bed while Kanae stayed politely sitting on the edge; not that Kyoko minded either, they had been her closest friends since before she could remember. 

“Well… You two know about the fae prince, Kuon?” Kyoko said hesitantly.

Kanae nodded her head hurriedly, while Chiori remained on the bed, paying Kyoko little mind.

“We kissed.” Kyoko closed her eyes as she revealed her secret to the two.

As she peeled open her eyes, she saw Chiori and Kanae sitting up on the bed with the same expression on their faces. 

“Your  _ first _ kiss?” Kanae asked in shock.

“You’re lying. Hold on. Back up. What exactly happened?” Chiori asked almost jumping off the bed.

Kyoko looked between the two and she knew her blood was rushing up to her face. She sat down on the bed so that she wouldn’t have to see their expressions as she explained.

“Well, he was taking me on a tour of the fae territory and led me to their greenhouse. It’s this large building made of glass that can  _ grow plants _ inside of it. Then we got into an argument about us still having handmaidens and… Actually, do you guys get… paid for your services?”

“We… get room and board and some allowance for buying some material items… and we can ask for more if it’s an emergency or something for you.” Kanae explained and Kyoko felt bothered by her careful tone.

She could almost feel the roll of Chiori’s eyes as she spoke, “ _ No _ . We don’t. We get a little weekly spending money but I really wouldn’t call that getting paid. It’s not a big deal, though. We’re doing better off than most.” 

“Than… most? So, every other fairy in the kingdom, who doesn’t work in the castle, is getting next to nothing? That doesn’t seem right. My father passed all those equality laws years ago, didn’t he?”

Chiori chuckled. “Wow… Just because you pass a law doesn’t mean that people will follow it, Kyoko. Like we said earlier, the kingdom has a long way to go. But we can talk about that later. So, your kiss?”

Kyoko was bothered. The kiss was far from her mind now, but she knew they would just pressure her about it if she didn’t continue the story.

“Okay, but we  _ will _ talk about it later. Anyways, we got into that argument and I got to meet two of his friends who were very kind to me. One was named Yashiro, and the other was Hide-” Kanae interrupted her.

“Come on, Kyoko. Stop beating around the bush.  _ Get to the kiss. _ ”

Kyoko giggled. “Okay, okay. Well, he apologized for speaking to me so harshly and I explained that we should talk about things rationally instead of yelling at one another. Then, he brushed back my hair and pulled me in towards him. He hesitated for a second, and I was going to pull away but… I guess I got a little lost in his eyes and when he pushed his lips on mine… I don’t know, I guess I automatically kissed him back…”

“I can’t really relate…” Kanae admitted. “But I’m happy for you. I’m glad you’re getting over Sho already.” 

“Wait, a second.” Chiori suddenly said. “You kissed someone you knew for twenty minutes and still don’t feel like it’s weird that you were  _ engaged _ to that idiot for nearly your entire life and never even once kissed him?” 

“Chiori…” Kanae scolded but Chiori paid it no mind as usual.

Kyoko finally grew up the courage to look Chiori in the eyes. “Well, he didn’t feel like a stranger. When he was arguing with me, and even when he touched me… There was a familiarity to him. He reminded me of someone I know. I know it’s crazy but I felt like I knew him a lot longer than just those twenty minutes.”

“He… reminded you of someone?” Chiori asked with more interest in her voice than Kyoko thought she’d ever heard. 

“Yeah,” Kyoko agreed, frowning in confusion. “I couldn’t put my finger on it, though.” 

“And you said he was really passionate about the state of the kingdom and the territory. He argued with you about that and then he apologized and kissed you out of nowhere?” Chiori continued, with a strange look on her face. 

“Yeah…” Kyoko looked at Chiori, not really understanding why this was so important. “You know, when I was leaving, he called me ‘Princess’ and I know it’s not unusual. But, his voice was  _ so  _ familiar.”

Kanae and Chiori looked between each other, sharing a look that Kyoko couldn’t decipher. 

“What is it?” Kyoko wondered aloud. 

“... It’s probably nothing.” Chiori muttered, turning away from them to face the ceiling. 

A yawn slipped out of Kyoko’s mouth. “Oh. I didn’t even notice how late it was becoming. I ought to get some sleep.”

Kyoko got up and took out her night clothes. Kanae and Chiori got up to help her, when she shook her head. 

“I’ll do it myself tonight.”

The pair looked confused at first but sat back on the bed as Kyoko prepared herself to go to sleep. After putting on her night clothes she brushed her hair quickly and crawled into her bed.

“Alright, goodnight you two. I’m going to sleep ahead of you.”

Kyoko laid her head on her pillow and almost immediately fell asleep.

Kanae turned to Chiori with a concerned look on her face. 

“You don’t think…?” She whispered.

Chiori narrowed her eyes. “I think it’s too big of a coincidence.”

Kanae sighed. “Should we tell her?”

“No. Let’s just see where this goes. I just don’t want her to go through the same thing her mother went through.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes it's like Cain just comes out no matter what lol


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _ Things begin to grow more and more complicated for both the Prince and the Princess. _

Kuon woke up extra early so he could sneak off without having to be bothered by Yashiro and, especially, Kijima. He knocked on Jelly’s door. He was both eager and nervous to tell her about what had happened.

Jelly opened the door after the first knock. “I knew you were coming today. But I didn’t expect it to be this early.”

“I know, but I wanted to avoid any disturbances. And… something happened yesterday.”

Jelly seemed unnecessarily excited. “Yesterday was the routine visit wasn’t it? The human king Lory was there wasn’t he? How is he? What kind of entertainment did he bring? I was going to come but I wasn’t sure if it would have been allowed.”

Kuon couldn’t help letting a chuckle escape from his mouth. 

“You could have come. Everyone was welcome. And this year he outdid himself with a giant platform of some kind with him and the princess on top. Speaking of the princess, that brings me back to what I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Hold that thought dear, let me get you some tea.”

Kuon sighed as Jelly prepared the tea in front of him. 

“May I speak now?” 

Jelly nodded her head with a smile on her face. “Hurry. Tell me.”

“Alright well, you know the girl I’ve been seeing at the Darumaya?  _ She _ is the  _ princess _ . And… I kissed her. And afterwards my mother then proceeded to say that the princess and I should get married. Not that she knew about the kiss, though. No one knew… Or, I thought no one knew.”

He took a sip of the tea and waited for Jelly’s response.

“Wait, what? You  _ kissed _ her? And someone knows about it? Who?” Jelly asked in rapid succession. 

“Huh? I mean… I probably shouldn’t have, but- It was the right moment, you know? And she kissed me back so that has to mean something right?” Kuon said. 

“If she kissed you back that  _ definitely _ has to mean something.” Jelly agreed. “Wow! So, you’re going today to see her? But… what if she’s no longer interested in “Ren,” and is strictly after Kuon?”

“If she…? But, no…” Kuon awkwardly chuckled. 

“Ren and Kuon aren’t… She and Ren and her and Kuon have different relationships… Besides, it’s not like ‘Ren’ is interested in her like that. Or, that she’s interested in him. They’re friends.”

Jelly stared at him for a long moment. “Kuon, maybe you should reconsider living this double life. Things like this tend to not end well. Especially when you start involving other people.” 

Kuon paused as he was about to take a sip from his cup and put it down.

“Jelly, come on. It’s not like I planned any of this. And I’m not really  _ involving _ her anymore than I’m involving the Darumaya couple. Kuon and Ren… They’re like different people Jelly. Two different worlds. You have to trust me on this.” Kuon pleaded. 

“They aren’t two different people.” Jelly argued. “They’re both  _ you _ . I’m just saying to be careful. That’s all.”

“I will. I promise. Have I ever let you down before?” Kuon grinned at Jelly.

“No, but you wouldn’t be able to anyway.” Jelly smiled. “Anyway, do you think she’s still going to come see you at Darumaya?” 

“Wait. You think she might not come today? But even if she doesn’t like ‘Ren’ she’ll still see him as a friend. I mean… damn it. She might see ‘Ren’ as a friend Jelly, but I am Ren. He doesn’t see- I don’t see her that way anymore. I’m gonna screw this up. I can’t go, Jelly.”

Kuon slumped, but seemed to perk up when a thought came to mind. 

“Wait, what if she accepts a kiss from ‘Ren’? I mean it’s still me, but then isn’t she cheating on me with me? But then again her and I never really said we were lovers… This is confusing.”

Jelly giggled as she took a sip from her tea.

“I’ve never seen you like this over a girl. You should go. See her. This is good for you. Now, let me work my magic and you can get going.”

~-~

Ren sat waiting for Kyoko to show up. He had ordered two mackerels in miso soup and patiently waited for the princess’ arrival. As he sat there, he saw her figure finally come into view. He turned away, he didn’t want her knowing that he was actually waiting for her.

“Good afternoon, Okami-san! Have you seen- oh.” She had seen him. 

He turned in her direction. “I knew you would come to see me, so I took the liberty of ordering you your favorite meal. Feel free to thank me. I take money, hugs, and kisses.”

“C-conceited as usual,” Kyoko laughed but it sounded forced even to him. 

Ren noticed she wasn’t looking at him and was merely staring into her bowl. The mention of the kiss must have gotten to her.

“You’re not going to lecture me about your purity this time?”

“Um… No? I-I’ve gotten used to your jokes already.” Kyoko smiled at him but quickly returned her attention to her soup. 

Ren moved a bit closer to her. “You do realize staring at your soup isn’t the same as eating it?”

“Right. Sorry. I shouldn’t let it get cold when you’ve already bought it for me.” She muttered, quickly eating a spoonful of the hot liquid.

“That’s besides the point, Kyoko. Is something bothering you?” Ren tried his best to keep his smile from appearing on his face.

“What?” Kyoko cried, looking up at him suddenly. Then, realizing how strange she was being, attempted to calm herself. “Nothing is bothering me, sorry. I just had a long day yesterday is all.” 

“Yesterday? What happened?” 

Kyoko realized her mistake immediately. “I… there was just a lot that happened.” She attempted, trying to recover the situation. 

Ren realized she was going to take a little bit more convincing.

“Kyoko, you can trust me. I know about your mother, your ex-fiance… I would never share your private information. You know me better than that.”

“... Fine. It wouldn’t hurt to tell you, anyways.” Kyoko acquiesced, eating another spoonful of soup. “I… went to a noble gathering of sorts yesterday.” 

“Oh? A bunch of stuck-up nobles gathered in one place. Sounds like a grand time. So, what happened at the gathering?” Ren grew anxious waiting for her to answer. He needed to know how she felt immediately.

“Well… I met a family and they showed me around their estate and my father and I stayed for lunch. Their gardens were interesting and unlike anything I’ve ever seen before.” 

Ren was growing frustrated with her. Why couldn’t she just say it…? He figured he could push her into it more.

“So… what? Lunch and the gardens make it such a long day? If that’s the case, how would you handle eating dinner with people?”

“It’s not…” Kyoko sighed. “Their son showed me around the grounds and he and I got into an argument concerning our values. And his mother was very insistent on us getting married, which just gave me a lot to think about.” 

“Married? So… do you… like this… kid? What’s his name again?” Ren tried to be nonchalant and took a spoonful of miso soup.

“His name is… Corn.” 

Ren had to keep from spitting out the soup in laughter. What did she just say?

“C-Corn… Is he… foreign?”

“He’s… from another city. Far away from here.” 

“O...kay. So, do you like… Corn? Do you think you’ll marry him?”

“I don’t  _ not _ like him. It’s very confusing.” Kyoko sighed again. “That’s why I have a lot on my mind, sorry.” 

“Well, you spent time with him. Anything happen that might make your decision easier?”

Ren was almost at his wits end with her.  _ Why _ wouldn’t she  _ tell him? _

“Well, there was something that happened. A while after our argument, but it was such a small thing and it happened so quickly I didn’t even have time to understand what happened.”

“Small? What do you mean by small? Like was it small as in short? Or small as in… other things? Like did you feel anything- Rather see anything?”

Ren suddenly felt anxious. He was sure he was well controlled but what if… 

“What? Small as in… short.” Kyoko answered, frowning in confusion. 

“Oh. What was short? Him? Was he short?”

“No. He’s actually quite tall.” 

“Oh geez. You keep avoiding it so much, I can’t help but come up with a few ideas of my own. Now there are three options. Either you’ve had your first kiss, he proposed to you, or… well I don’t know if your mind can handle the third one.”

“No!” Kyoko squeaked. “What are you talking about?! Stop saying crazy things! We kissed, that was it. It happened so quickly, I barely even know what happened.” 

He was surprisingly hurt. He didn’t know if he should have been, though. It did happen quickly, but… 

“Did you kiss him back…?” Of course, he already knew the answer to that. What was really on his mind was  _ why _ she had kissed back.

“I… I don’t know. Maybe? I shouldn’t have, though. I need to keep my purity in tact for my future fiance. And I wouldn’t want to be rude to any other suitors.” 

“Other suitors… I know I hold a special place in your heart, but I don’t know if I’m ready for marriage yet.”

Kyoko blushed red up to the tips of her ears. “I-I didn’t mean you specifically! Not that I’d… well- I just don’t…” She buried her face in her hands in pure embarrassment. 

Ren could feel his heartbeat picking up pace. He needed to calm down before he got carried away again.

“So, I am on your list, though? That’s nice to know.”

“My list? I don’t have a list. I haven’t even really thought about marriage since I broke off my engagement. I’m sure I don’t have enough suitors to even make a list out of.” 

“You’re so stupid. Of course you do. I’d take you as my wife and show you off to everyone in town.”

Kyoko scowled. “You don’t have to joke around with me like that. It’s not really funny, and I can’t understand why people keep saying things like that to me. There was a guy that I met yesterday who said something similar.”

“Who was it?”

“His name was… Hidehito, I think.” 

The mention of his name was enough to set Ren on edge. He noticed how tightly he was gripping the spoon in his hand. When he opened it up, he quickly closed his hand yet again to hide all the dents in the metal. 

“Hidehito, was it? He must have left some impression…”

“He just joked around with me the same way you do. You’d probably get along with him.” 

“Oh? Well, then I think I should really make sure you can tell the difference between us.”

With that Ren leaned even closer to Kyoko. He could see her getting slightly nervous and he found it all the more adorable.

“If I kiss you right now, then you could easily tell the difference between  _ Hidehito _ and I. Hell, him and that noble might even slip from your mind entirely.”

He leaned in closer and Kyoko leaned back slightly in her chair. He brought his hand up to push her hair behind her ear and a wave of deja vu washed over him. Her face was red, but she didn’t move as he went in for the kiss.

But just as he was about to press his lips to hers a hand softly pushed at his chest. He moved back, trying not to let the disappointment show on his face too clearly. 

“... I’m sorry.” Kyoko whispered, avoiding looking at him. The heart that was thumping wildly in his chest suddenly fell into the pit of his stomach as she slowly pushed her chair back and stood up. 

“Kyoko…” Ren called, hoping to get her to at least look at him but she didn’t look up at all as she quickly walked out of the restaurant. 


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _ A new candidate for marriage is introduced and Kyoko has a difficult time avoiding her conflicting feelings. _

Kyoko woke up still in a haze from what happened a couple days ago. Ren always popped into her head when she first woke up. She felt kind of bad, but she just couldn’t muster up the strength to go see him again. She felt awkward and guilty, she was a princess and here she was kissing people that weren’t her fiance and possibly developing feelings for two different men at once. What would her father think of her? 

And as if some higher power were reading her mind there was a sudden loud knock at the door. 

“Kyoko! Sweetie! Open up! Hurry!” Kyoko rushed to the door at the sound of her father’s voice. 

When she pulled open the door she saw her father atop his horse in the doorway. He rushed through the door and Kyoko stood there a little amazed. In her seventeen years, she had never seen her father do this before.

“I bring forth a message, Kyoko.” Lory said. 

“A-A message? Father, you could have had a messenger deliver it.” Kyoko said as she tried to smooth down her hair in the mirror.

“Well, of course I could have. But then I wouldn’t have been able to see my daughter, now would I?” Lory jumped down from his horse and tied his reins on Kyoko’s bed frame. 

“Well, meeting Julienna had gotten me thinking about your current predicament. I know we both have our reservations about Kuon Hizuri, but that does not mean we cannot branch out to others. And here, in my hand, I hold a letter from Lord Hikaru. In said letter, he has expressed his affection towards you and is welcoming to the idea of marriage. I have arranged a meeting for the two of you to get to know each other. Only if you’d like, of course.”

Kyoko stood still, unsure of how to respond.

“I’ve… been thinking about getting another marriage lined up as well. I _ am _ the princess, it’s important that my future be secure for the sake of the kingdom.” 

“That’s my girl. Already sounding like the queen you’re meant to be. He will be here within the hour. Get ready.” 

Lory untied his horse and climbed atop. As he was leaving, Chiori and Kanae stood in the doorway. 

“You called, your majesty?” Chiori asked politely.

“Yes. See to it that my daughter looks amazing for Lord Hikaru today.”

“Lord Hikaru?” Kanae repeated in confusion. 

“Yes, Lord Hikaru. He’ll be here within the hour! No time to talk, I’ve got to go feed Elizabeth.” He announced, riding down the hallway. 

Chiori’s eyes were nearly bulging out of her sockets. 

“Why did he have to bring a horse in here? I’m terrified of animals. Especially cute ones, they disgust me.” 

“_ That’s _ what’s bothering you right now?” Kanae snapped, looking at her fellow handmaiden in amazement. 

“Yes! I hate animals!” Chiori cried, glancing nervously down the hallway. 

“Uh… girls?” Kyoko interjected hesitantly. 

“Kyoko has to be ready for a _ marriage interview _ in the next forty minutes, and you’re worried about a _ horse _?!” 

“It’s not my fault that I hate animals!” Chiori yelled angrily. 

“Uh… I… need to go get ready…” Kyoko tried again, but to no avail. 

“Well, they probably hate you too, but it’s not like they’re going to kill you! Do you really live your life fearing that a bunny is going to pop out of nowhere and murder you!?” Kanae demanded. 

“Is that so strange?! How can you trust something that looks so innocent? Those gross beady red eyes are just screaming evil intent!” 

“G-Girls!” Kyoko screamed. “I need to get ready. Now.”

“Oh. Right, sorry.” Kanae apologized. Chiori just huffed and rolled her eyes. 

“So, what color dress are you thinking of wearing?” 

~-~

Hikaru stood in the foyer pacing back and forth. He was nervous. In his excitement, he arrived ten minutes earlier than was expected. Sebastian, the chamberlain, had invited him to sit down but he politely declined. His hands were shaking and his heart was thumping through his chest. Once he had heard that Princess Kyoko was single, he was ecstatic and at the same time, anxious. There was no way he would have a chance with her. However, without his consent, his parents had sent out a letter to her, and now here he was.

He looked up as he heard footsteps running down the spiral staircase.

“I am so sorry. I’m la-”

Hikaru watched in shock as Princess Kyoko lost her balance and went rolling down the steps. He ran to her immediately and held out his hand. 

“Are you okay?”

Princess Kyoko took his hand and allowed Hikaru to help her stand up.

“That… was embarrassing…” Princess Kyoko straightened out her rose colored dress and held out her hand once again for a greeting.

“I-It’s nice to meet you. I’m Kyoko- No. _ I’m _ Hikaru. _ You’re _ Kyoko. _ Princess _Kyoko. I would never presume to call you just Kyoko. That was rude of me. I humbly apologize.” He bowed to Princess Kyoko before realizing he hadn’t taken her hand.

He hurriedly grabbed her hand and planted a nervous kiss to it. In his haste, though, he managed to slobber all over it. 

Realizing this and noticing the grimace appearing on her face, he quickly used his sleeve to wipe off the excess saliva. 

“Sorry, sorry.” He muttered, blushing bright red. 

“It’s… alright. Shall we go, then?” 

Hikaru nodded his head and followed Kyoko. He followed her down a hallway where paintings of the former kings and queens were hung up. 

“You’ll be up here someday, huh?” Hikaru asked Kyoko.

“I suppose. It’s kind of nerve wracking when you think about it. There’s a legacy to uphold. I just don’t want to let people down. Hundreds of years down the line, people like us will be walking down these hallways. What will they think of us?” Kyoko wondered.

“I don’t know. I guess it depends on the circumstances, are they in a situation like us? Where there is a possible p-proposal? Or are they just friends? What if they’re the prince and princess, or husband and wife. The scenario could really alter the thoughts, you know?”

“Um… yes, I suppose that’s true.” Kyoko responded after a long moment of silence. 

Hikaru realized immediately afterwards that she had not meant that question literally as they walked on in awkward silence. 

Kyoko led him into the room where they would be having lunch. He stumbled in a rush to pull out her chair for her, and then sat in his own as food was brought to the table.

“So… marriage… Did you _ want _ another fiance…? Or were you forced into this?” Hikaru asked refusing to make eye contact as he bit into his sandwich.

“No, I wasn’t forced into this at all. I’m honored that you came all this way just to see me.” Kyoko politely responded with a smile.

“I did come all this way… but don’t think that means you _ have _ to do anything.” He said, quickly glancing at her. “I’ll respect whatever decision you make. It’s your life, after all.” 

“Being the princess and all… it doesn’t always feel like that. Not that I’m complaining or anything!” She quickly corrected. “It’s just- I have a lot of responsibility and I have to think about the kingdom with every decision I make.” Kyoko took a small bite of her food.

“I can understand that. I’m the only child in my family, so it’s kind of like the fate of our entire familial line rests in my hands.” He joked, laughing nervously. 

“Exactly.” Kyoko agreed, smiling at him. 

“So… what happened with your previous fiance? I heard that you two have been engaged since childhood. I never would have thought that I would be sitting here with you in a marriage interview.” 

“Um…” He suddenly noticed a chill in the air and saw that Kyoko was clutching her drink tight enough to see the white of her knuckles through her skin. “We… just decided it was for the best if we went our separate ways.” 

“I see. Well, that’s too bad for him, then.” He stated, grinning at her. 

“Actually… I haven’t been completely honest with you.” 

“Oh, about what?” He wondered, his mind instantly thinking that maybe she still had strong feelings for her previous fiance and didn’t really want to do this after all. 

“I think it’s best to be completely honest from the start so… I think you should know… my purity isn’t as intact as a maiden’s should be.” 

Hikaru choked on his bite of food. He downed some water before looking Kyoko in the eyes. 

“Y-Your purity?”

“Yes. I… realize that’s insulting to you as a marriage suitor. And I can’t take it back now that it’s happened so I just thought that you should know. I’m sorry if I’ve disappointed you.” 

Hikaru looked at her in amazement. He had always thought of Princess Kyoko as a pristine, pure woman. It just went to show you can’t judge a book by its cover. But she had been engaged to her ex-fiance for nearly her entire life, it wouldn’t be surprising if they were intimate with each other. She was supposed to marry him after all. 

“I-It’s okay. I’m not disappointed or anything… I- I mean, even I’m not one hundred percent pure. No one is. I would still happily take you as my bride. O-of course only if you wanted to marry me, I’m not trying to assume or anything…”

Hikaru grinned and beared it. The last thing he wanted right now was for Kyoko to be uncomfortable. He was actually grateful for how honest she was.

“Even still… I really shouldn’t have kissed him. I mean he kissed _ me… _But that was stupid of me to not reject him. You’re so sweet, I feel terrible about this.” 

Hikaru’s mind blanked. He didn’t understand what just happened. Her purity was ruined… by a kiss…? 

“Kissed him?” Hikaru said with caution. Perhaps the kiss led to more…?

“Yes, I know you’re shocked but please try to keep calm. We kissed briefly and I haven’t been in contact with him at all since. Our parents are also considering marriage between us… but I barely know him. Nothing is set in stone yet, so… ” 

Hikaru looked Princess Kyoko in the eyes and could see that she was being serious. So, it wasn’t with her ex-fiance then? As far as he knew she had only broken her engagement a few weeks ago, who would have made a move on her that quickly? But regardless… 

“Princess Kyoko… it was… just a kiss…” He managed to mumble, completely at a loss for why she was being so serious about it.

She frowned in confusion and opened her mouth to dispute him but he quickly cut her off. 

“I understand. I’m not upset about it, okay?” He offered, smiling cheerfully. 

“Y-You’re not…? I suppose I thought you would be. I told another… friend of mine about the incident and he got upset.”

Hikaru frowned. “Why would I be upset about something like that? Even if it was more than just that, it’s not like I’m already your fiance or anything. I don’t really have any right to be upset.”

Kyoko looked hesitant.

“My fiance? Wouldn’t you, even as a friend, be upset about it?”

Hikaru was even more confused now. What could her thinking process even look like to come to that conclusion? 

“Um… as a friend I’d have even less reason to be upset. If you met someone that you liked and shared those feelings with them I’d be happy for you and support you. Even as a marriage suitor, I’d do that. Why would I want to marry you if you already have someone else in mind?”

“Well…” Kyoko hesitated. “In what scenario would you be upset about it then?”

“I guess… I’d be upset about you kissing someone else if I liked you… Not to say that I don’t of course. I like you very much. Of course, it’s more as a friend. I think you’re very pretty though, but I barely know you. Not to say I don’t wish to marry you- I…” Hikaru took a deep breath and reorganized his thoughts. “The only other scenarios would be if we were seeing each other romantically, or engaged, or well… married. But that would mean you cheated on me and you don’t seem like someone who would ever do that so…” 

Kyoko’s eyes blazed with fury as she looked at him. “I would _ never _.” 

“Uh… right. So… you said a friend of yours was upset that you kissed someone?” 

“No… “ Kyoko shook her head. “He wasn’t really upset about that. He just… wanted to get my mind off of it so he tried to… kiss me?” 

Hikaru froze in utter amazement. 

“What? He tried to… kiss you? And this is a completely different man from the one you kissed before?” 

“Yes, he’s a completely different person.” Kyoko said with confidence.

He would think that was enough for her to realize how her friend feels about her… right? Even he could come to that conclusion.

“He… probably likes you then, right? I mean I would only kiss someone if I liked them.” 

“He doesn’t like me.” She argued instantly. “He was probably just joking around. A lot of people seem to enjoy getting a rise out of me these days by doing dumb things like that and telling me equally stupid things.” 

“I don’t mean to be argumentative with you, so forgive me for saying this, princess. But… I really don’t think that people are joking with you when they act like that. I think that you’re beautiful and intelligent and that you’re a great princess that will make a great queen someday. Whether that’s with me by your side or someone else. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here with you at this marriage interview.” Hikaru chuckled nervously, smiling boyishly. 

“I… appreciate that. I still think you’re just being nice but… I’ll think about it. Thank you.” 

“I’m not just being nice, princess. I think you’re an amazing person. But you’ll realize that on your own soon enough.” 

Hikaru smiled at her, standing up from his chair.

“Thank you for taking the time to meet with me.” He said, bowing respectfully. 

Kyoko grinned up at him and nodded. 

“Of course. Thank you for listening to my rambling.” 

“Anytime, princess.” Hikaru replied, smiling at her playfully before taking his leave. 

~-~

A few days had gone by since the marriage interview and Kyoko had resigned herself to her room and aimlessly walking around the castle. She _ had _ been spending the majority of her days at Darumaya with Ren, but she was still set on avoiding him and the more days passed that she didn’t see him, the more awkward she felt the situation became.

She jolted at the sound of her door being burst open. Kanae and Chiori stomped into the room heading straight for their princess. 

“Do you know what time it is, Kyoko?” Chiori scolded.

Kyoko shrugged her shoulders indifferently. “Noon?”

Chiori and Kanae shared a look as Kyoko pulled her covers back up.

Kanae snatched away the covers off the bed. “Kyoko, you haven’t left the castle in days. What have you been doing holed up in your room? You haven’t even called on us for anything.”

Kyoko looked up at her handmaidens standing over her. 

“I just haven’t felt like going out, okay?”

Chiori frowned. “Not okay, Kyoko. The king has been asking us questions about you nonstop. He wants you to get up and do something. _ Go somewhere. _”

“_ Where _?” Kyoko whined. “There’s nothing to do outside. I’m learning how to cook from one of the chefs! That’s something.”

Kanae scowled, crossing her arms together. “And how is that working out for you?” 

Kyoko looked awkwardly down at the floor. “Um… I made a potato korokke but… I burned it…” 

“_ Go outside, Kyoko _ !” Kanae yelled. “Go for a walk, talk to some merchants, go on another marriage interview, do _ something _!” 

Kyoko sighed, swinging her legs off the side of her bed. 

“Fine, I’ll go for a walk.” 

“Good. Would you like some help getting dressed?”

With a slight nod of her head, Chiori and Kanae fell into their familiar routine. Once they finished, Kyoko slipped on her shoes and headed out the main entrance.

The sun was bright, making her squint as she walked. She passed by the street vendors that she usually would have stopped at and browsed through, but there wasn’t anything that she was interested in buying and, really, she was satisfied with just taking a walk. 

She looked around, watching vendors hold out their wares at passerby and shout out their low prices and valuable materials. As she looked around, a tall figure caught her attention. His back was to her but the dark brown locks of his hair seemed oddly familiar. 

Kyoko frowned, moving through the crowd to get a better look. 

The man turned then, handing an item to the vendor to buy. He looked up after handing the woman a few coins, and their eyes locked. Kyoko stood still for a moment, but was brought out of her trance as she saw recognition wash over his face. Ren made a move to walk towards her, reaching out for her cautiously, but she backed away immediately with wide eyes. 

The vendor yelled at Ren, to get his attention and stop blocking her customers, so as soon as he turned away, Kyoko took the opportunity to run.

There weren’t many enclosed places near the market and Kyoko didn’t really want to risk going down some dark alley. With how long Ren’s legs were, he would catch up to her in an instant if he saw her again so she was left with little choice. 

The one place that she did know of around here, _ Beagle _. 

~-~

Ren cursed the vendor under his breath. It was the first time he had seen Kyoko in weeks, and she got away. He had been spending time as close to the castle as possible over the last few days hoping to see her, and just like that she was out of his sight again. Not only that, but this definitely wasn’t a place for a princess, especially _ alone _. The last thing he wanted was for her to get hurt. He looked around frantically for a flash of auburn hair, but came up short. 

Ren dashed down the nearest alley and saw a flash of orange in the hands of a stranger. He ran forward and grabbed the assailant by the arm, only to be greeted with a familiar face. 

“What the hell, man?!” The _ assailant _ snapped, yanking his arm out of Ren’s grasp. 

Kijima._ Of course _.

Ren glanced down at his hands to see the orange from earlier was merely another stuffed animal, presumably from the trash. He let him go and immediately began walking away.

“You can’t just go around yanking on people for no damn reason. You’ll end up getting arrested that way.” He scoffed.

Ren ignored him and continued walking back the way he had come, he didn’t have time for this. 

“_ Fucking humans _,” Kijima muttered under his breath. 

Ren hesitated at hearing what Kijima said. He was still vexed about what happened between Kijima last time they spoke. He swallowed down his anger and stiffly turned around.

“I apologize for rudely interrupting your…” Ren glanced down at the auburn colored bear in his hands.

Kijima smirked holding up the stuffed animal. 

“Trash hunting? As a dear friend of mine would call it.” He offered. 

Ren hid the shock on his face. “Have you seen a girl go through here? She has hair the color of that… thing.”

Kijima looked at the bear in his hands thoughtfully, turning it around in his hands and studying it carefully. 

“Hmm… Maybe. Describe her a bit for me.” 

Ren did his best to control his fists from shaking in anger. Kuon may get away with hitting Kijima, but Ren wouldn’t, at least not here.

“Her hair reaches the middle of her back, she has caramel colored eyes, and her height reaches the middle of my chest. Have. You. Seen. Her?”

Kijima seemed to ponder over the new information, examining his bear once again. 

“Do you think she’s more of a bear person or a cat person? Maybe she’d like a rabbit more… She sounds like a cutesy type.” 

Ren’s mind blanked as he tried to assess the situation. The more he realized what just happened, the angrier he became. He had wasted precious time talking to Kijima. Without another word, Ren turned around yet again and proceeded to walk away.

“Wait, is she cute? You didn’t answer my question!” Kijima called after him. 

Ren froze in place. He had made up his mind to just punch him _ once _when he heard Yashiro’s voice.

“Kijima! I told you to stop coming into the human city! What are you doing? Who was that?”

“I don’t know, some human who was looking for a cute girl. At least… I think she was cute. Why else would he be looking for her, right?” 

Ren thought it over, and decided to walk away. Yashiro wasn’t nearly as dumb as Kijima, or as naive as Kyoko. He would catch on quickly enough that he wasn’t who he said he was. He quickened his pace as he exited the alley.

Maybe someone else had seen her walk by.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _ Kyoko receives an odd fortune and even stranger visit followed by a curious revelation _

Kyoko walked into the gothic shop nervously. The bell on the door rang out eerily as it opened, and the room she was walking into was dark with nothing but the light of candles and sunlight filtering through the open door to brighten it. 

As the door closed behind her and she was submerged into the darkness of the room, she realized with a start that she wasn’t alone. 

“Hey! That’s cheating! You totally just grabbed a card from the deck, Kiyora!” 

“That’s how the game works, Dasuku.” 

“You always say that someone is cheating but you’re the one playing the game wrong.” 

Kyoko turned towards the voices, squinting to see them better in the dark. 

“It’s not my fault if I can’t see what I’m doing! We’re playing a card game in the dark!” 

“ _ You _ suggested we play this.” 

“Shut it, Shizuru! Do you have a better idea?”

Kyoko cleared her throat quietly, hoping to gain their attention. 

“Did you hear that?” 

Kyoko nervously spoke up, “Um… hello?” 

“Oh, I think someone is here, hold on.” 

“Hey! Watch where you’re going!” 

“It’s  _ dark _ . I can’t see!” 

A figure came around the corner, leaning against the wall as he stopped in front of her. 

“Hi, there. Welcome to Vie Ghoul. Are you here to speak with Reino?” 

Kyoko immediately began shaking her head but the man was already calling out for someone. 

“Miroku! Someone is here for Reino!” The man seemed to wink in the darkness before shrinking back into the shadows.

A head came popping up from behind the curtain leading to the back room, spilling out more candlelight into the dark area. She barely had time to correct the previous man before Miroku stood before her.

“Princess Kyoko, to what do we owe this pleasure?” Miroku said as he bent to kiss her hand.

Kyoko let out the first lie that popped into her head.

“I wanted my fortune read.”

Within the darkness, Kyoko could just barely make out a smirk on Miroku’s face. 

“If that is indeed what you want me to believe.”

Kyoko could feel the heat rise to her face and was thankful for the darkness, hiding her blush. 

“Are you calling me a liar?”

Miroku bowed once more. “As my princess, I would never dare to presume you to be a teller of false tales. Come. Reino awaits.”

Kyoko followed Miroku as he led her behind the curtain. Back there, there was a huge assortment of burning, black candles which allowed for more visibility. At a table sat Reino, with his back turned to her. With a wave of his hand, Miroku quickly exited, closing the curtain behind him.

Kyoko was left there, awkwardly looking around. Now that she was actually here, she regretted coming to this place even more. She avoided Reino for a reason and that reason being that he was a creep. 

She was already feeling the telltale signs of his presence, shivers ran down her back and goosebumps rose on her arms. She couldn’t even see him over the high back of his chair but she  _ knew _ he was sitting there. 

Kyoko built up the nerve to take a step forward, but stopped at the sound of his voice.

“Kyoko, you finally came to visit me.”

He turned around and a genuine smile was plastered on his face. All the same, Kyoko felt another shiver go up her spine.

“Are you surprised? I thought you were supposed to be a fortune teller?” 

The smile on Reino’s face was replaced with a frown. In the blink of an eye, he was towering over her. She backed away slightly and he smirked as he caressed a lock of her hair.

“I am only wondering what took you so long.”

She frowned and swatted his hand away, taking a few more steps backwards. 

“I was busy.” 

Reino’s laugh rang in her ears, piercing the silence. 

“Well, seeing as you’ve finally made time for me. I suppose it is only right if I return the favor.”

Without another word, he returned to his seat, staring at Kyoko expectantly. She sat down hesitantly, looking at him with suspicion in her eyes. 

Reino brought out a deck of strange looking cards and fanned them out to her. 

“Choose a card, if you would please.”

She glanced at him briefly before choosing a card from the center. After returning the cards to a neat pile, he held out his hand, and she returned the card to him. He flipped it to reveal an angel with red wings, standing in a lake.

“Temperance, reversed,” Reino said.

“What does that mean?” There was no emotion to be found in Reino’s voice when announcing her card.

“There is a struggle within you. You fight against yourself. Unsure of what is right, what is wrong. This stems from more than just your love affairs, and the ruling of the kingdom…”

Reino gazed into her eyes with a puzzled look on his face. Faster than before, he fanned out the cards once again.

“Please. Choose two more.”

Kyoko swallowed nervously, and hesitantly reached for two more cards, placing them down onto the table. One was a wheel of sorts, which resembled a compass on a map. The other was a skeleton atop a horse trampling people below it.

“Wheel of Fortune and Death…”

Kyoko was sure the fear in her eyes was plain to see and was only reassured of that by Reino shaking his head.

“You will not die Kyoko. However… A great change is coming in your life. One you cannot control. Though, your choices will affect the outcome of this change.” 

He peered into Kyoko’s eyes, making her fidget under the intensity of his gaze. 

“May I?” 

Before she got a chance to respond, Reino was already touching Kyoko’s temple with his cool fingers.

She could feel that same mind probing sensation from before. It was as if someone was sifting through her mind, and then the feeling intensified as if he were reaching his actual hand into her head. 

“There’s something…” Reino muttered, frowning as his eyes focused on the space behind her. 

He reached around blindly on his desk until he had a piece of parchment and a quill. His hand rapidly moved back and forth across the page as he continued to stare at the space behind Kyoko. 

After a few long minutes, the probing feeling retracted and Kyoko sucked in a breath as the odd and intrusive feeling melted away. 

“W-what… What did you just do?” She asked, breathlessly. Her head was spinning and she felt light-headed and nauseated.

She glanced over at Reino. He seemed to have aged in the last couple of minutes. Whatever he did, it must have taken a toll on him.

“You… You are different. Within you, lies a great past, a troubling one.”

He turned the parchment towards her and she saw a pair of beautiful wings. 

“Wings? I-I don’t understand…”

“Yes. Wings that belong to you. And the story behind it… You have managed to peak my interest yet again, Princess Kyoko.”

Kyoko became even more confused. 

“What does that  _ mean _ ? How do I have wings? How are you  _ seeing _ that?” She demanded, looking at the drawing again. The details were so intricate, so specific in pattern and design there wasn’t any way he had made up something like that so quickly.

Reino flashed her a smile. 

“How much do you know of your mother and father?”

Kyoko narrowed her eyes at him. “My father is the king, Reino.”

“Is he now?” Reino stood up and walked over to Kyoko, bending down so that he was close to her ear.

“Perhaps we can do some research into that together.”

“No.” Kyoko snapped, standing up abruptly. “This was a stupid idea, and I regret ever coming here. I’m leaving.”

As she got up to leave, Reino grabbed hold of the parchment on the table and blocked Kyoko from exiting.

“Princess, my humblest apologies for upsetting you. Please, take this as my offering.”

Kyoko hesitated before taking the drawing from his hands. He stood up straight and smiled at her.

“This drawing is merely a cheap imitation of the true beauty those wings possess.”

“I should hope to see you again soon?” He asked knowingly. 

She scowled at him, not bothering to give him a response as she quickly left the shop. 

~-~

Kyoko hastily walked back to the castle after leaving Reino’s “House of Horrors”, feeling shaky and annoyed and  _ scared _ to believe that what she was told was true. It couldn’t be, that was ridiculous. She came from a long line of royals, and she passed their portraits in the hall almost every day! But beyond the wings, what Reino had said about her was strangely spot-on for someone she never talked to. The thought of him stalking her sent a chill through her spine and she hurried to chase the thought away.

She entered the castle and was halfway up the staircase when she heard a familiar, irritating voice. 

“Kyoko. You’re back. It’s about damn time.”

She slowly turned around to see the person she hated most in the world in the foyer: Shotaro. Kyoko weighed out her options. On one hand, she could turn and dash up the stairs, or she could go and make him pay for what he did. Before she could come to a conclusion, her rage overtook her and she flew down the steps. 

Before she came into contact with Sho, a firm grip held her back. Kyoko looked up to lock eyes with Sebastian.

“Forgive me, Princess Kyoko, but don’t you believe a princess should be hospitable to  _ all _ her guests? Even those who are…” Sebastian glanced up at Shotaro. “… _ Less  _ than deserving of it?”

Shotaro glared at Sebastian but didn’t utter a single word. 

Kyoko looked at Sebastian once more before nodding her head. 

“Sebastian, if you would be so kind, could you set up tea in the drawing room for Shotaro and I?”

“I told you to stop ca-” Shotaro attempted to complain.

“Of course, Princess.” Sebastian interrupted with a bright smile. “I will be happy to escort Lord  _ Shotaro  _ there while you go change.” He bowed to Kyoko and Sho sent a glare her way before obediently following the chamberlain back down the stairs. 

~-~

Kyoko walked into the drawing room with her head held high. She was wearing a dress recommended by Chiori and Kanae that was, in their words, “going to make Shotaro green with envy.” She admitted, it would feel amazing to have Sho drool over her just so that she could reject him. She sat down on the opposite side of the table where Sho must have been waiting for at least an hour.

“Took you long enough. What am I? Some peasant boy?” He snapped in annoyance, but even she noticed that his eyes strayed from her face for a moment.

Kyoko ignored his comment as she thanked Sebastian for pouring her tea.

“I assume you have a reason for coming to the royal castle, Lord Shotaro?”

She looked up at him and a soft expression crossed his face so quickly Kyoko wondered if she had imagined it. 

“Ch-Chestnut pudding!” He pouted as he turned his gaze towards the nearest window.

Kyoko frowned in confusion. He almost sounded… flustered? 

“What?” She asked, hoping for some clarity.

“I can’t get chestnut pudding like here at the royal castle from just anywhere. I want chestnut pudding…” Sho still refused to meet her gaze as he gave her a hasty response.

“Chestnut pudding.” Kyoko echoed incredulously. Had he really come all the way here for some  _ pudding _ ? “Are you serious?” 

“What other reason would I have for returning here to see you?” He snapped.

Kyoko scowled and picked up her cup, sipping on the tea that had just barely cooled down enough. 

“Fine. I’ll have my chef make some for you, and you can be on your way. And in the future, do let me know in advance so I can have it prepared beforehand and you can simply pick it up.” She sat the cup back down on the saucer and stood, smoothing out her dress. 

“Are we finished here, then? There are other things that need my attention.” 

Shotaro stared at her for a long time before responding.

“You… You seem to be managing today very well.”

Kyoko frowned, something she seemed to be doing a lot when speaking to him. Funny how much things could change. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Today… It’s been how many years now?” Sho said, barely above a whisper.

Kyoko’s hard expression quickly crumbled, turning into an expression of surprise. She slowly sat back down and stared into the golden brown hue of the tea in front of her. 

“So, you do remember.”

“Of course, I remember. How could I forget the anniversary of my own mother’s death?” She snapped, reaching out for the warm comfort of the tea, though she had little interest in drinking it now. 

“I didn’t want to upset you. Look. I just- Couldn’t have you ruining the kingdom because of your emotions.”

And just like that her anger was resurfacing. As if he had  _ any  _ right to- 

“It has nothing to do with you.” She snapped, standing up once again, not wanting to look anywhere in his direction for fear of what she might do. She did have a cup of hot tea in her hands after all. 

“I don’t know what you’re doing, showing up here out of the blue going on about  _ pudding _ . But you should go. You’ve already shown me that you don’t care about my wellbeing at all so you should just leave before I do something I regret. I don’t want to see you, and this fake concern you suddenly have for me is despicable- even for you.” 

She was halfway through the door when he called her name once again.

“You dropped…”

She turned around and saw him holding a folded piece of parchment. She had carried it here with her, in fear that Kanae or Chiori would find it if she left it in her room. It must have slipped from underneath the dress. She dashed forward to try to take it from Sho’s grasp but he easily held it out of reach.

“What is this?” He questioned as he unfolded the paper. “Wings?”

“Give that back!” Kyoko cried, jumping up in an attempt to reach it. “It’s none of your business!” 

“None of my business? Isn’t it just a drawing of wings? Why are you hiding it?” Sho teased further.

“It’s not- Just!” Kyoko snapped breathlessly, struggling fruitlessly as she attempted to knock it out of his hands. “Give it to me!”

Sho looked at her once more before handing it back. 

“Tell me, what’s so important about that drawing? Or perhaps I could ask the king?”

Kyoko’s eyes went comically wide and she took a cautious step back as if any sudden move would cause Sho to bolt out of the room and tell everyone about the drawing. 

“Don’t.” She demanded. “I’ll tell you. Just don’t tell anyone about it, okay?” 

Kyoko quickly rehashed everything that happened with Reino, leaving out the reason she was there in the first place. 

Sho scowled. “You know how much I hate that creep. He’s a liar, a stalker, and he’s so obviously in love with you that it kind of freaks me out. Don’t bother believing a word he says.” 

“I know,  _ believe me _ , I know.” Kyoko sighed. “But… he got this weird look in his eye when he drew those and he was looking behind me as if something was really there. I don’t want to believe him but it feels too real to be a lie.” 

Sho rolled his eyes and, slowly, a smirk emerged on his face.

“Just check the records. That’ll prove he was lying. In fact, I’ll go with you. That way I can expose him for the lying cheat he is and put him out of business.”

“The records are private, the archivist keeps them under lock and key. Nobody goes in there without a good reason.” Kyoko argued, already knowing it was futile. Sho was stubborn and he likely wouldn’t be letting this go anytime soon.

“Please, Kyoko, you’re the  _ princess _ .  _ That _ is a good enough reason by itself.”

~-~

And so, inexplicably, Kyoko found herself buried under thick, ribbon bound books with yellowed and withering pages and Sho muttering in annoyance beside her. 

“Didn’t he say the familial records were kept in the books with the gold ribbon?” He asked, slamming a book closed and throwing it onto the desk Kyoko was working at. 

“Yes…” She muttered, finger tracing down a page as she scanned the contents.

“Then why aren’t there any familial records in the books with the gold ribbon?” Sho snapped. 

Kyoko sighed, glancing up from the page and looking at the book Sho had thrown down. 

“That’s yellow.” 

Sho muttered something under his breath that sounded like “rum lucking archivist” but Kyoko ignored him. The book she had found was a detailed account of the 6th Great War and it had stories from both sides of the war, including things she’d never even heard about. It made her wonder why she hadn’t come down here sooner. 

“Um… Kyoko. Your mother’s name was Saena, right?”

“Yes.” Kyoko muttered absentmindedly.

“The first and only?”

“Yes. Why?” Kyoko looked up at Sho.

He was holding a book with a red ribbon on it, and she was about to scold him again when she saw the look on his face.

“What does it say?” Kyoko got up from the table and launched over to where Sho stood.

“Saena wasn’t Lory’s wife… She was his sister.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _ The princess makes a discovery that changes everything. _

“What?” Kyoko sputtered, attempting to grab the book out of his hand. Sho quickly dodged her grabbing hands and turned away from her so that he could keep flipping through the pages of the book.

“Yeah. This journal belonged to Saena’s servant, Susumu Todoh. He was some creep who fell in love with her, and basically documented her life. He said, ‘I was ten when I first saw the beautiful Saena. Her older brother, Lory, squeezed my shoulder and told me to take care of her. I always did…’ blah blah you get the point.”

Kyoko felt as if ice water was poured into her veins. “W-what? What are saying? Stop messing around. It’s not funny.” 

Sho shoved the journal into Kyoko’s face. “Read it for yourself.”

Kyoko did, hastily opening the aged book and desperately reading through the contents. True enough, the same words Sho spoke were written neatly on the page and she could clearly see the words “Saena” and “her brother Lory”. 

“This doesn’t make any sense.” She whispered, flipping through the pages of the notebook and seeing the combination over and over. Saena’s  _ brother _ Lory. “This can’t be true. But who would  _ lie _ about this? Why would anyone lie about this?” 

“Does it look like I was there thirty-five years ago?” Sho snapped in irritation.

Kyoko didn’t bother responding as she tucked the journal under her arm and walked so quickly she may as well have been running as she rushed to get some answers. 

  
  


~-~

Kyoko needed answers, and she needed them  _ now _ ; was all that was going through her mind as she took the grand steps two at a time and barely avoided running straight into a servant. She didn’t even bother knocking on the doors to her father’s study before barging in. 

“Kyoko! How was your walk outside? I heard-” Lory paused as Kyoko slammed the book on his desk.

“What is this?” Kyoko demanded, not caring how rude she was being. A strange sense of panic was creeping its way down her spine and as much as she wanted to know what all of it meant, she also wanted to pretend that she had never seen it in the first place. 

Lory hesitated before sitting down and opening the book. As he read, he began nodding his head in understanding. 

“I see… Kyoko, there is no point in lying any further. Saena is my sister.”

Kyoko frowned, completely bewildered. “What are you saying? My mother is your sister? You’re…  _ siblings _ ?” 

“Yes. I am sorry this is how you had to find out, but Saena is my sister. I loved her dearly.” Lory’s expression had a hint of sadness.

“I understand that people did that sort of thing in the past but…” Kyoko shook her head. “Why would you  _ lie _ to me about it?”

“In the… past? What are you talking about Kyoko?”

Kyoko made sure to keep any judgement off of her face as she carefully worded her answer, this was completely shocking but he was still her father at the end of the day.

“Incestual marriage. I understand why- it’s important for royal bloodlines but I just- I can’t understand why you would lie to me about it for all this time.” 

The look of horror that passed onto Lory’s face was almost comedic as he let Kyoko’s words sink in. 

“Kyoko.” Lory slowly began. “I am  _ not _ your father.”

And that familiar sensation of ice creeping down Kyoko’s spine returned at full force. It was as though her body had reacted to what Lory said, but her mind still couldn’t understand. 

“W-what?” She whispered, lowering herself into a seat because her legs had gone completely numb. 

Lory stood up and walked over to a shelf where he removed a book. He walked over to Kyoko and handed her the book, open to a drawing of her mother alongside Lory.

“I rarely showed you pictures of her. You would stare at her painting in her old room any chance you could get. Our father was married several times over the course of his life. Saena had a different mother than I do, but she died tragically in childbirth. Still, the two of us look awfully alike, don’t you agree?”

“You do. I just never would have guessed that you were related. But if you’re not… my father. Then who is?” 

“Well, I suppose it would be simpler to tell you the whole story. Saena had fallen in love with a man by the name of Kazushi Misonoi. He was very kind to her, and… he may have even loved her, but he betrayed her. He betrayed  _ us.  _ He acted under the guise of a human when really he was an undercover fairy. He used your mother to get into the royal records and steal information. As it turns out, he was a part of a rogue fae group plotting to take down human royalty. Saena didn’t even know she was pregnant with his child until after she discovered his secret. Soon after, your mother passed away, and I hid you away so that no one could come for the illegitimate child of a human and fairy. I swore the entire castle to secrecy at the time as well as anyone that would have known about it in order to keep you safe.”

“So…” Kyoko couldn’t help but think back to the intricate drawing of wings that Reino had given her earlier in the day and bit her lip nervously. “I’m… half fairy, half human?” 

“Yes, you are. I apologize for keeping this from you for so long. And, your mother… Well, I didn’t want to hide that part of your life from you. You were already hiding a part of your identity. Her passing… You never talked about her outside of Shotaro so…”

“Then… I’m not the rightful princess.” Kyoko realized, looking down at the floor as tears collected in her eyes and ran down the slope of her nose before splashing onto the floor. 

“Well, technically, you are.” Lory corrected. “My son is in exile, and although he has a daughter of his own, she cannot take the throne. You know this. Although you are not  _ my _ child, you  _ are _ Saena’s. You are the  _ only _ rightful heir to the throne.”

Kyoko shook her head as more tears welled up and fell to the hardwood floor beneath her feet. 

“No. I can’t be. The royal line must remain untainted. I-I can’t take the throne it wouldn’t be right. I can’t be the princess.” 

“Kyoko, you  _ are  _ the princess. Your blood is no more “tainted” than mine. Times are changing. You are already learning that the fae are no different than us. If anything, having a princess who is both fae and human will only help encourage acceptance amongst humans.  _ You  _ are the rightful heir and nothing can change that.”

Kyoko sighed, not able to come up with anything else to say. All of this was so overwhelming. Her whole life had suddenly changed but somehow it still felt as though nothing had changed at all. 

“Regardless of who you are, and your background, I love you Kyoko. And you  _ are _ my daughter, okay?”

Lory stood from his chair and walked over to Kyoko offering her his hand. As she took it, he pulled her into a hug.

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.” She mumbled into the fabric of his shirt. 

Lory moved back and wiped away the tear stains on her face. 

“Alright, you should go get some rest. It’s been a very long and emotional day.”

Kyoko nodded, rubbing at her face harshly. Her legs still felt numb but she walked slowly out of the study and headed back to her own room.

~-~

Chiori and Kanae were anxiously straightening things around the room when Kyoko returned. She tried to force a smile towards them, but just couldn’t manage to do it.

“Seems like we should have let her stay in bed today.” Chiori said.

Kanae hit Chiori and pulled Kyoko to sit down on the bed.

“What happened?” Kanae asked.

“Everything happened. Nothing happened. I don’t know.” 

“Well, maybe you should start from after you left.”

“I went for a walk and ran into that guy from before.” Kyoko began. “The mysterious one that I usually meet at the Darumaya? I wanted to avoid him so I ducked into Reino’s shop.” 

“Wait, why were you avoiding him?” Kanae seemed confused.

“I… Did I not tell you guys about what happened at the Darumaya the last time I met with him?” 

Chiori and Kanae looked at one another and shook their heads in unison.

“Well, he tried to kiss me. Sorry. I guess I only told Hikaru about that.” 

“Your  _ suitor _ ?” They yelled at the same time.

“Kyoko…” Chiori said with a look of disgust.

“Geez, Kyoko  _ please _ tell me you did not tell your marriage suitor that you kissed another man,” Kanae butted in.

“Why wouldn’t I have? I’m not the type to lie. I can’t just not tell him about something as serious as that.” Kyoko frowned. “Anyways, the man from the Darumaya tried to kiss me but I thought there were only so many times I could be forgiven for something like that happening to a fiancé-less princess, so, I refused him and it’s become very awkward between us.” 

“Okay… But why Reino? Why not come back to the castle or something?” Chiori questioned.

“I really just meant to get out of eyesight. If he saw me walking back to the castle, I’m sure he would have followed me, he looked very intent on talking to me. I regretted it immediately though.” Kyoko scowled, disgust contorting her features as she recalled what happened earlier. “Beagle is strange.”

“Okay, then what happened?” Kanae pushed on.

“Well, since I was there, Reino’s assistant spotted me and I was kind of forced into doing a fortune telling session. He… drew a picture of what he saw behind me. A brilliant pair of wings.” Her voice descended into a whisper as she finished. Eyes widening as she realized that Sho still had the drawing in his possession. 

“Wings?” They both echoed in confusion.

“Yeah… wings.” Kyoko sighed, shifting uncomfortably. “I just found out that… I’m not the princess. King Lory is not actually my father and I am an illegitimate child.” 

“Oh. Well, I’m sorry Kyoko. We honestly should have told you instead of-.” Chiori said.

Kanae gave Chiori a stern look, but it was too late, Kyoko had heard her.

“You guys… knew?”

Both Kanae and Chiori hesitated before nodding their heads. 

“Yeah, it was kind of well known amongst the fairy servants. Passed down from servant to servant.” Chiori stated.

Kanae quickly jumped in. “But for all we knew it was nothing but petty rumors. It doesn’t matter anyways. You  _ are _ the princess Kyoko.”

Today really was just too much. Kyoko felt several different kinds of hurt and betrayal at this news. All of the servants knew about this? Her own handmaidens and  _ best friends _ knew and she was only finding out now? 

“So, I guess you also know that I’m half fae, half human and can’t  _ possibly _ be the princess? What else have you been hiding from me? You don’t actually  _ know _ my father do you?” Kyoko demanded angrily. 

“No, of course we didn-” Kanae started.

“You’re part fae?” Chiori interrupted.

“My  _ father _ is a fairy.” Kyoko snapped, angry tears burning at her eyes once again. “A fairy who plotted secretly against the kingdom and stole information by fooling my mother into thinking he loved her. He’s a  _ traitor... _ and by association I am too.” 

“Kyoko, don’t be ridiculous. You are not your parents. You’re your own person. Especially now that you know more about who you are and where you come from.” Kanae said, obviously trying to be comforting.

“Stop.” Kyoko pleaded, holding her hands to her head where a migraine was starting to form. “Just stop. Leave me be for the night, please. It’s been a long day and I just don’t have the energy for conversation anymore. I feel like I can’t trust  _ anybody _ . Just… just go.” 

Kanae and Chiori looked at each other. Neither of them were willing to leave Kyoko’s side.

Kyoko looked up at them and her heart filled with frustration and anger. “ _ You’re dismissed _ .” 

Kanae looked shocked and hurt by her words. Chiori held a stern look on her face and grabbed Kanae’s arm.

“You heard the princess. We are  _ dismissed.  _ Let’s leave our royal pain in the ass alone.” 

Without another word, Kanae and Chiori exited the room.

Kyoko sighed and flopped down onto her bed, trying and failing to stop the tears welling up in her eyes from falling. 

Nothing had changed but everything had changed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Holidays!


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _ The annual celebration of peace brings the two together again. _

It had been a week since Kyoko last properly talked to Chiori and Kanae. If she was completely honest, she was still upset that they had hidden something so important from her for so long. Today, she was going to get her mind off everything, or at least she hoped. The annual Truce Festival was today, and it was always a happy time for her.

She got up from bed and proceeded to get ready. It was almost noon and the festival would start soon. She hadn’t called on Chiori or Kanae over the entire week and she hadn’t spoken to them besides a few words here and there. They were giving her space and that was what she needed most. It’s actually helped her to learn how to get ready without any help, and she was proud of that. However, it was lonely and, if she was honest with herself, she did feel bad about ignoring them. Kyoko convinced herself that they should feel worse and put on her dress.

Today was about forgetting all of that and enjoying herself. The kingdom was full of festivities and jovial attitudes and this time of year was her favorite for that very reason. So, today she was going to focus on letting go of all the negative feelings that were haunting her and enjoy herself. 

She pulled on her shoes and ran out the door only to immediately crash into someone. 

“Oh, I’m so…” Kyoko paused before continuing as she realized who she’d bumped into. “Sorry.”

Chiori looked at her, hesitant to say what was on her mind.

“Are you… Did you get dressed alright today?” She said looking away from Kyoko.

“Yes. I can manage that much, at least.” Kyoko answered, glancing at Chiori as she spoke only to look away and focus on the walls of the hallway instead. “E-excuse me, then.” She continued, not able to handle the heavy tension in the air, she walked swiftly around Chiori and down the hall.

When Kyoko reached the top of the stairs at the foyer, she could see her father, or  _ King Lory  _ rather, waiting patiently for her with Sebastian. The palace was busy this morning, with servants running around to do errands and other tasks so that they could also enjoy the festivities of the day. 

She rushed down the stairs and he smiled as she approached. 

“No, Chiori or Kanae? Don’t you always bring them with you to the festival?” Lory questioned curiously.

Kyoko knew he was aware she wasn’t talking to them at the moment.

“I’m sure they would prefer to enjoy the day rather than have to worry over me for once.” She plastered on a smile, hoping he couldn’t see straight through her. 

Lory had returned a smile that looked as fake as Kyoko’s felt.

“Well, if that’s the case, shall we be on our way?” He held out his arm so that Kyoko could take it.

She looked at his arm for a long moment and then up at his face, the face she had grown up with, and had called father. The face that had raised her. Even if everything else was a lie he still cared for her, even if he was her uncle and not her actual father. 

She smiled again, this time more genuinely, and took his arm. 

~-~

Kuon was actually looking forward to the festival today. Typically, every year, he would use some excuse to try and avoid going. However, it had been weeks since he’d seen the princess and he would use any excuse he had in order to see her. Besides, the last time she had met with  _ Kuon  _ specifically, she had kissed him. Although, after what happened with Ren he probably wouldn’t try to push anything. He was already dressed when Yashiro burst through the door.

“Kuon don’t even  _ think  _ about skipping out on-” Yashiro paused at the sight of an appropriately dressed Kuon. 

“Wait, you’re already dressed? No ‘I’m sick’ or ‘I have work to do’? Are you  _ actually _ sick?” Yashiro moved in to put his hand on Kuon’s forehead.

“Yashiro, I’m fine. Just… I figured it was time I genuinely owned up to my title. And it’s all thanks to you.” Kuon put a bright smile on his face.

Yashiro’s eyes were nearly bulging out of their sockets behind his glasses. He quickly stepped forward and began pushing Kuon back into the room and towards his bed. 

“No. You are  _ definitely _ not feeling well. Maybe you should get some rest, I’ll have a nurse bring you up some medicine.” 

“No. Yashiro look at me. I. Am. Fine.” Kuon repeated, gesturing to himself with a wide smile. 

Yashiro narrowed his eyes and looked over Kuon skeptically. “Seriously, what’s been up with you lately? You seem out of it and you keep disappearing to who knows where the second I’m not looking. And now you’re suddenly getting ready to go to important functions and behaving responsibly without me even having to pester you. What’s going on?” 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s the same me. Nothing’s changed, I just- I know what’s important to me.”

Yashiro quirked up an eyebrow at that. “And what… could  _ possibly _ have become so important all of a sudden that everything I thought I knew about you has changed?” 

“I met someone.” Kuon answered simply, standing up again and patting Yashiro on the shoulder before walking out of the room. 

“W-wait! What? You  _ met someone _ ?!” Yashiro screeched behind him and Kuon couldn’t help but smile as he rounded a corner. “ _ Hey _ ! Get back here!  _ Kuon _ !” 

~-~

Kuon walked towards the festival beside his parents. His mother kept going on and on about how this was his chance to win over Kyoko. It’s not like he needed any reminding from her, that was already his intention. His father on the other hand, was simply excited to see what possible stunts King Lory may attempt to pull this year. He tuned them out, however, when he saw the king approaching with Kyoko by his side. 

“Welcome to the Truce Festival! Truly a pleasure to be in your company once again, Kuu, Julienna, and Kuon. I hope you enjoy the festivities. My people have truly gone all out this year for the entertainment. I might even see some surprising things myself.” Lory greeted, laughing heartily. 

Kuu laughed along. “The day something surprises you, I might keel over from cardiac arrest. Kuon, Julienna, don’t be rude- say hello to Lory and his daughter, Princess Kyoko.”

“I would have greeted them already if you weren’t so busy flapping your gums.” Julienna snapped, but turned a bright smile to the King and Princess. “Hello Lory, I hope you’ve been well. And Princess, I hope you’ve been even better.” 

Lory admitted that he had been and Kyoko’s eyes widened when Julienna pulled her in for a hug. 

“I hope you’ve been treating my future daughter-in-law well.” She spoke, raising an eyebrow at Lory and pinching Kyoko’s cheek before stepping away from them. 

Kuon was so excited to see her, but now that she was right in front of him, he was nervous. And of course his mother bringing up their possible matrimony wasn’t helping anything. The last time she had seen him, she fled in the opposite direction. He had to keep reminding himself that it was Ren she was avoiding and not him. He must have taken too long to say something because his mother hit him on his arm.

“P-Princess Kyoko. It’s always a pleasure to see you,” he said with a bow. 

“A pleasure to see you as well, Kuon.” Kyoko greeted in return, smiling as she looked up at him. And wow, how long had it been since he had seen her smile like that? 

Julienna smacked him on the back of the head. “Kuon, have I taught you no manners? I know you’re happy to see the princess, but really, at least greet the king first.” 

“O-Of course. My humblest apologies, King Lory.” Kuon stuttered.

“Don’t worry son,” Lory laughed. “I know she’s much prettier than I am.” 

“Young love, what are you going to do, huh?” Kuu said with a laugh.

Julienna grinned, leaning in conspiratorially towards her son. “Be a gentleman and accompany the princess around the festival, will you dear?” Her mannerisms made it seem as though that information was meant to be shared in secret but she spoke loud enough that all of them could hear her clearly. 

It was all Kuon could do to keep his face from burning bright red. He looked to Kyoko and offered her his arm. 

“Shall we then, princess?”

It may have been a trick of the lighting but he could have  _ sworn _ he saw her blush. 

“Yes, let’s.” She spoke, grabbing a hold of his arm and smiling up at him. 

~-~

As the two walked down the road leading through the festival plaza, arms linked and gaining the attention of all they passed that weren’t too absorbed in the fun of the festival. Kyoko made sure to smile and wave at everyone who looked their way, even stopping to chat with some that she recognized and hugging all the children that ran up to her. Vendors were yelling for people to come and try their specialty, one-of-a-kind, authentic fae cuisine and high quality human foods that were probably being sold for twice as much as they were worth. Handmade jewelry, decorations, and other items were being held out from stalls to grab attention and Kuon could see the wooden beads, clay vases, and glass figurines that others were holding out in competition.

Kuon turned his attention back to the other side of the street where someone was frying up some meat that smelled delicious but his attention was quickly drawn back to Kyoko when she began tugging on his arm as she walked towards the jewelry stalls. 

“Do you want one?” Kuon asked Kyoko curiously, quickening his step so that he could catch up to her. 

“No, I just…” Kyoko trailed off, raking her eyes over the multitude of jewels in all colors, shapes, and sizes.

The vendor walked over to where Kuon and Kyoko stood. His eyes widened comically as he realized who they were. 

“These jewels are nothing special, princess. For you, however, I have a special collection.”

The man brought out a beautiful, intricately designed box. He unlocked it with a key around his neck and opened it to reveal several large gems, that glittered brightly under the sunlight. Kyoko gasped and took a step closer looking into the box in pure awe. 

“Legend has it that these jewels were once worn by a goddess herself in a faraway land. Once she had all the ones she deemed worthy, she sunk the island where they were found. They were then stolen by a man, whom the goddess killed, but he shipped them off in a boat before he was caught. The boat sailed for months before it reached this land. My forefathers have passed these down through generations, and now I am here to present them to you.”

The vendor bowed deeply as he thrust the box towards them.

Kuon rolled his eyes at the ridiculous story and looked over to Kyoko to see if she was thinking the same, but it was clear to him that she was buying every word this man was saying. 

“I really like this one.” Kyoko stated as she picked up a teardrop shaped pink jewel. 

The vendor stood straight with a wide grin on his teeth. 

“For you, princess, I will lower the price to a mere hundred gold coins.”

The blood drained from Kyoko’s face as she placed the jewel back in the box very carefully.

“My apologies. I simply cannot afford that right now.” She smiled but the disappointment on her face was obvious. “Come on, Kuon.”

Kyoko began walking away and Kuon raced after her.

“Princess Kyoko, please wait here for a moment,” Kuon said, making a show of checking his pockets. “I think I dropped something.” 

He ran off without giving Kyoko a chance to respond and returned to the vendor.

“Give me your bullshit jewel. The teardrop one.”

If it were a different situation, he would have haggled down the price, but he was wary of leaving the princess alone for too long. The man seemed surprised by his bluntness but seemed all too smug that Kuon had returned. He brought out the jewel once again and Kuon threw a bag of gold coins down on the stall table. Time seemed to go by slowly as the man looked over the contents in the bag before handing him the jewel. He was ready to run back to Kyoko when the man stopped him.

“Would you really present the jewel to the princess in such a manner? I have the perfect chain  _ and  _ box to go along with it.”

The same irritable grin sat on the man’s face, and as much as Kuon hated it, he had a point. He returned and the man brought out an intricately carved wooden box along with a chain the perfect size to hold the jewel.

“This is  _ merely _ one hundred silver coins.”

Kuon debated it, but he was sure that if he were to punch the man it would only lead to a bad outcome. He quickly fumbled through his pockets before he mustered up eighty-five silver coins.

“This is all I have.” Kuon said through his gritted teeth.

“For being such a wonderful customer, I’ll take it.”

Kuon dropped down the coins, grabbed the items and ran for Kyoko while hiding the box holding the chain and jewel.

When he got to the spot he thought he had left her, his heart pounded fearfully when he didn’t see her. He looked around fearfully, already cursing himself for leaving her alone in the middle of a festival- his mother would lecture him for hours if she found out. But then, he spotted a flash of auburn hair at a food stall and hurried over. 

“Princess!” He called as he approached. 

She turned at the sound of his voice and he would have laughed out loud at how stuffed with food her cheeks were if he hadn’t been panicking a few seconds ago. Kyoko turned beet red and quickly chewed and swallowed her food, turning around quickly to thank the stall owner, and then came to a stop in front of him. 

“Oh, Kuon, you startled me.” She laughed breathlessly. “Did you find what you were looking for?” 

A smile spread across Kuon’s face. 

“I did. And have something for you. So, turn around and close your eyes.”

Kyoko’s eyes widened and she frowned in confusion. “You got something for me? What? Why? You shouldn’t have done th-” 

“ _ Princess _ .” Kuon interrupted. “Close your eyes. And turn around.”

With a wary look, Kyoko sighed and followed his instructions. 

Kuon took the chain and gently fastened it to the jewel before placing it around Kyoko’s neck. Her hand shot up, and she looked down at the necklace.

“Wh-What? Is this… did you…?” She spun around looking up at Kuon with a completely shocked expression on her face. She looked down at the jewel around her neck and then back up at him. 

“Did you just buy this from that vendor?” 

“Yeah. You looked disappointed when you couldn’t get it, so I figured, why not?”

“What!? Why? You have to go and return this, it’s much too expensive! I can’t even repay you for it right now!” 

“Oh, you think I paid full price for that? You humans are so simple. I talked him into lowering the price for me. I only paid a mere ten gold coins. And as far as paying me back, you could just kiss me and call it even.”

Kyoko frowned at him. “What? Wasn’t it one hundred gold coins? How did you end up only paying ten? He said it was discounted for me, and it must be super valuable with such a legendary story behind it!” 

Kuon was admittedly a bit disappointed that his “kiss” comment hadn’t resonated with her, but immediately brushed the thought aside. “After I told him I’m the  _ fae prince,  _ he informed me that his great grandfather was once rescued by a fairy during the last war.”

Kyoko’s eyes nearly glittered as she widened them with amazement. 

“Wow! I guess it’s true what they say about the world being small. What a great coincidence!” 

“Isn’t it?” Kuon nodded, stifling a laugh as they walked along. That was way too easy. 

Kyoko grabbed hold of his arm again at some point and they continued walking, stopping at several different food stalls, where vendors were practically begging them to stop for a free taste and then looping them into trying more and more until they were politely declining repeatedly and apologizing before starting the cycle all over again at a different stall. They carried on like that, laughing and having fun, even catching the eye of their parents a few times as they walked. Kuon’s mother winked at them and smiled knowingly, only stopping when Kuon had started to blush. 

They were walking when they came across a group of drunk men telling fishing stories to one another. A man was just getting to the end of his, when he noticed Kuon and Kyoko listening. 

“Well men, look who it is, Princess Kyoko in the flesh!”

All the men turned to look in Kyoko’s direction. 

“Well, I ain’t seen you since you was about yea high.” The bearded man gestured a few feet off the ground with a smile. 

“And look at her now!” Another man in the group grinned. “All grown up and cute as a button.” 

Another man in the group wearing a cap, took a sip of his drink and looked up at them. “Hey, I heard that you broke it off with that good for nothing fiancé of yours. How about you give my son a try?” 

Kuon was expecting Kyoko to be sullen about the mention of her broken engagement but to his amazement, Kyoko laughed. 

“Does he still have that obsession with frogs?” She asked. 

“Aye. He’s got a whole wall full of the taxidermied things, now.” 

Kyoko winced, sucking in a breath through her teeth and the whole group started laughing. 

“Oh, princess, why don’t you come take a seat with us and have a drink with us small folk?” The bearded man offered, gesturing to some of the empty spaces on the benches.

Kuon stepped forward, slightly blocking Kyoko.

“Do you think the princess could handle a drink with us men? I’m pretty sure she hasn’t tasted alcohol a day in her life.”

One of the men stood up and threw an arm around Kuon. 

“She’s almost queen. Don’t you think the princess oughta have a drink before she’s stuck up in that throne room?”

Kuon chuckled and looked over at Kyoko.

“Do you think you could handle it?”

She looked up at him with a determined look in her eyes, jutting her chin out defiantly. 

“Of course.” 

Kuon was surprised but nodded his head in return.

“Come on, we’re telling stories. I’m sure you have plenty of funny ones, Hizuri. Tell us about the fae women. What are they like?”

Kuon was sure to bring the princess along as the man dragged him into a seat. He was about to answer, when he looked down at Kyoko’s innocent smile.

“I wouldn’t know.” Kuon said as they passed both him and Kyoko a jug of whiskey.

The man with the hat narrowed his eyes at him. “You, the Fae Prince, wouldn’t know? Now listen kid, I may look young but I wasn’t born yesterday. Come on, now, spill.” 

Kuon took a swig of the whiskey and shrugged. “I really don’t. I don’t have much free time.”

Kyoko gave him a questioning look beside him. “But I also want to know what fae women are like. The only ones I know are my handmaidens.”

“Really? I wouldn’t think a princess would be so intimate with her handmaidens.” Kuon said holding back a laugh. 

Kyoko remained innocently confused. The men guffawed around the two, slapping knees and spilling drinks. 

“Come on now, don’t tease the poor girl so much.” One of the men laughed. “Our princess is a true pure maiden through and through.” 

Kyoko’s face turned red, and Kuon spit out his drink in a fit of laughter. 

“Princess,” Kuon managed between chuckles, “You’ve hardly touched your drink.”

“Oh,” Kyoko startled, bringing the jug to her lips and taking a deep swallow. As Kuon expected from that action she immediately began sputtering and coughing. 

“What did I tell you guys? She can’t handle it like us men.”

“No!” Kyoko protested. “I can do it.” And to prove it, she brought the jug up to her lips again after a second of hesitation and began chugging it down like water. 

Kuon stared wide-eyed at her as she emptied the jug, tipping it proudly to show it was empty. She coughed deeply, clearing her throat a few times as tears pricked at her eyes but she had finished it. 

Everyone clapped and whistled proudly upon seeing the empty jug. 

“That’s our girl!” The men shouted happily. 

Kuon slowly approached her. “How are you feeling, princess?”

Kyoko looked at him and shrugged her shoulders. “I feel fine.”

Kuon glanced over at the men, and back at Kyoko.

“Alright… Princess, how about we go for a walk?”

Dazedly, she looked up at him and nodded. “Sure.” 

The bearded man laughed, “Take good care of her, she’ll be a handful tonight.” 

Kuon smiled and nodded. This was the first time he’d ever sat down with humans and just talked with them and it was strange how accepted he felt by them. Maybe it was just because he was with Kyoko, but something told him that even if he had been alone he probably would have been treated with the same kindness.

Kuon wondered where the best place would be for him to hide a drunk princess from her people when a thought struck him. 

“Do you want to go to a restaurant with me?”

“A restaurant?” Kyoko muttered confusedly. “But I’m not hungry.” 

“Yes, I wanna get far away from here right now. Some place calm. You live here, where should we go?”

“Oh…” Kyoko thought for a second, leaning into him a bit unsteadily as they walked. “There’s this little restaurant on the edge of town that I go to often. It’s called the Darumaya.” 

Kuon cheered inwardly that she had suggested it. He had been thinking to go there but wondered if it would give him away if he did, he was really treading thin ice here with Kyoko finding out about his secret identity. 

So, it sent a shock through his heart when he heard her mutter under her breath. 

“I just hope that  _ he’s _ not there.” 

Kuon froze for a second before responding.

“Y-yeah… So, let’s go princess.” He stated, avoiding all eye contact with her.

~-~

Kyoko laid on the floor once they reached the Darumaya, causing Kuon to stop in his tracks.

“Uh… Princess… Are you okay?”

“I’m… fine. Never better.” She rolled around a bit, seemingly getting more comfortable. “The floor is nice and cool. It’s hot out, you know. You should sit… too.” 

Kuon chuckled before sitting beside her. Luckily the restaurant was empty due to the festival, everyone seemingly out to eat in the city.

“You know, princess, I once read somewhere that restaurant floors contain magic, the more you roll in it, the more magic powers you may attain.”

“Whaaat?” Kyoko slurred, frantically rolling around. “I can have magic powers too? Princess Rosa is already magical enough, though.”

“Princess Rosa?” Kuon questioned.

“Mhm.” Kyoko answered, holding the necklace he had bought her earlier in the day. “Princess Rosa. She’s magical. Anything this beautiful must be.” 

Kuon actually felt a little touched that she had named the necklace. He was about to respond when Okami-san walked into the restaurant from the kitchen. 

“Hello. What can I-” She paused at the sight of Kyoko on the floor.

She turned to Kuon immediately. 

“What kind of man allows a woman to lie on the floor like that? I can see she’s out of it, but that’s no reason for you to not act like a gentleman.”

Kuon’s face flushed and he immediately helped Kyoko off the floor and onto a chair.

“Now,” Okami-san said pleased, “What can I get you?”

“Just water, please?” Kuon politely asked. “She’s had a little too much to drink.” 

Okami-san nodded in understanding, looking at Kyoko with her arms crossed over the table and head resting down on them. 

She looked back at Kuon and studied him for a long second, after a long moment had passed with the two of them just looking at each other, she announced that she would return shortly with their water and disappeared back into the kitchen. 

When she did come back, after a few moments, she came back with not only two glasses of water but some sliced fruit as well. 

Kuon gently pushed the glass towards Kyoko. “Drink up, you don’t want a headache in the morning. It’s the worst.”

Kyoko groaned but pushed herself into more of a sitting position. “What if I already have a headache?” 

“Well, that’s your own fault. I told you that you couldn’t handle it.”

“Yeah… you did.” Kyoko agreed, staring down at her water as if mesmerized. “You’re always so  _ right _ . And honest.”

Kuon blushed a little. “Uh, yeah, I guess…”

Kyoko straightened now, looking into Kuon’s eyes. “You know when we met. And you told me all those horrible things about me to my face. Me,  _ the princess _ . But you know what? Even then you were  _ right _ .” 

“And then you kissed me and that was great, I really enjoyed it. But I shouldn’t have. I really shouldn’t have. We’re not even engaged. And I don’t want to lie either, I like honesty, so I had to tell my marriage interview candidate about it and I just ended up telling him  _ so _ much. About you and Ren and Shotaro and Hidehito.” 

“Wait, what?” The thought of Kijima touching her was enough to make his blood boil. Not to mention her seemingly purposeful use of his first name.

“Yeah,  _ Ren _ . He’s this really mysterious guy that I usually meet here but he also tried to kiss me and I have to be  _ responsible _ . Like you said, I’m the princess and I have the responsibility of my kingdom on my shoulders. And I’ve already ruined everything just by being born.” 

“Being… born?” 

“And I just feel like everyone is always lying to me. About everything. Nobody tells the truth but you. Even if it hurts or even if it’s not something I want to hear, you always tell me the truth Kuon. And I… I really  _ respect _ you.” 

“I respect you too, Princess Kyoko. But, to hold me to such a standard…”

Kuon was beginning to feel uncomfortable. Kyoko was talking almost as if she knew he was Ren. The way she talked about him made him feel like he should tell her the truth.

“You  _ deserve  _ it. You’re such a good person. The fae are so lucky to have a leader like you.” 

Kyoko was right. He was always the person to tell her the truth. Even when it hurt him to say it. Why would he hide something so big from her? He took a deep breath before deciding to tell her.

“Kyoko-”

The bell rang signifying that someone had entered and Kuon turned to see who it was. 

“Yashiro?” Kuon frowned. “What are you doing here?” 

“Princess Kyoko’s father informed me of this place. They want you two to return for the fireworks show… What is wrong with the princess?” Yashiro said upon seeing Kyoko giggling with her head down.

Kuon’s eyes trailed to Kyoko.

“Are you ready to head back?”

She nodded excitedly and grabbed his hand causing his face to turn red. 

“Let’s go!” She yelled excitedly.

~-~

They returned to their parents hand and hand. Juliena jumped up excitedly and rushed towards them.

“I see the night has been going- What’s wrong with the princess?”

“A few citizens invited us to drink. Kyoko knew them from when she was younger. We couldn’t really refuse, and she had a bit too much.”

Juliena leaned in and narrowed her eyes. “Kuon. Please tell me that you haven’t been parading the princess around drunk for the past few hours.” 

“Mother, I am your son. I can handle my liquor and I always have my wits about me. Of course, I haven’t.” Kuon boasted.

She smacked him on the back of the head. “If you had your wits about you, she wouldn’t be drunk right now.” 

Kuu walked over to them. “Why are you standing over here? The fireworks will start so- What’s wrong with the princess?”

They all looked at her as she spun, looking up at the night’s sky.

King Lory joined shortly after. “I am happy to see you two have returned safely. I hope you’ve had a good- Is my daughter drunk?”

Kuon sighed. “To sum it all up- some citizens invited us for a drink. We couldn’t really refuse.”

To Kuon’s surprise, Lory began laughing.

“Kyoko has been quite sad these past few days, and today was the happiest I’ve seen her in a while.  You raised a fine young man Julienna. Kuon, you have been a great friend to my daughter. ”

Kuon nodded, looking down at the ground in embarrassment. 

Lory called Kyoko over and she ran to him and gave him a hug. 

“Come, let’s watch the fireworks show together.” 

The group walked over to the grassy hill designated for firework watching, setting down blankets to sit on and making themselves comfortable. Kuon was surprised when Kyoko, instead of sitting with her father lingered back, maybe not even realizing what she was doing, and ended up sharing a blanket with him. As the fireworks show began, Kyoko laid her head down onto Kuon’s lap and he played with her hair absentmindedly before he began to hear a gentle snore coming from her.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _The princess has a strange revelation. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters today because we forgot to update last week, whoops!

Kyoko blinked once, twice, the brown wood of her ceiling swaying in her blurry vision. She blinked repeatedly to try to push the nauseating feeling away. Eventually it faded and all she was left with was a pounding headache and extreme dryness in her throat. 

With a groan, she sat up, stretching her arms above her head sleepily. She sighed, looking at the sheets of her bed blankly, having no recollection of even getting into bed last night. 

“Good morning.” A familiar voice spoke beside her, and she startled, whipping her head towards the sound and only succeeded in worsening her headache. 

Her father- well  _ Lory _ , that was still taking some getting used to, was sitting at her vanity watching her with an amused expression. 

“Have some tea,” He offered, handing her a warm mug of steaming liquid. “It’ll help with the dehydration and the headache.” 

Kyoko took it, frowning in confusion, but sipping from it anyways. 

“How are you feeling?” He asked in concern. 

Kyoko shook her head, drinking some more of the tea. “I had the strangest dream.” 

Lory smirked and leaned in, “Did you now?” 

She nodded. “Yes, I dreamed that I could get magic by lying on the ground and that Princess Rosa was the key to helping me get it. Kuon was there,” She added, cocking her head to the side in confusion. “He was laughing at me but I don’t know why. And then you were there and his parents were there and there was magic in the sky and it was so bright that I closed my eyes.” 

Lory let out a hearty laugh. “I’m afraid that wasn’t a dream, sweetie. I heard some of the story from Kuon but hearing it from you just makes it that much funnier.”

Kyoko paled and sat straighter in her bed, the cup of tea nearly slipping out of her hands. 

“I-I actually did that?!” She shouted, eyes going wide as she suddenly remembered how much of a fool she had been in the Darumaya. She had  _ rolled around on the  _ ** _floor_ ** . 

Lory laughed again. “I suppose this is punishment enough for you drinking alcohol without permission in public.” 

He didn’t seem that angry with her over the situation, but Kyoko knew him well enough to hear the undertones of sternness in his voice, and was immediately filled with both regret and guilt. She should have known better, she had lived her entire life in training to be the princess and even if she wasn’t sure that she could still do that there was no excuse for her actions last night. 

“I am so, so sorry.” Kyoko apologized, keeping her head low in shame. “There’s absolutely no excuse for my actions, that was completely undignified of me and I should never have shamed myself like that in the name of the crown.” 

A long silence ensued until Kyoko heard the shuffling of Lory standing and a sudden hand, smoothing out her messy hair. She turned her head up to look at him.

“You’re young and we all make mistakes. Believe me, your mother and I were raising a lot more hell when we were your age.” He winked, messing up her hair again and making her yelp in surprise. “As long as you don’t repeat the same mistakes, it’s fine. And also know your alcohol limit. That’s very important.” 

Before Kyoko could come up with a response, Lory was making his dramatic exit, and since he was dressed like an actual king today- albeit one from centuries ago- he swept up his cape as he left.

Kyoko quickly downed the rest of her tea, throwing the blankets off of her as she stood, she had to go and apologize to Okami-san as  _ soon _ as possible.

~-~

Kyoko arrived at the Darumaya in the late afternoon, having been compelled to humbly apologize to everyone she remembered seeing the night before until they were flustered and begging for her to stop lowering her head to them. 

But when she opened the door to the quaint shop she was surprised to see Ren sitting at a table already. 

He turned his head as soon as the bell rang and Kyoko immediately stiffened. All she wanted to do was leave, but given her behavior last night, she couldn’t turn tail and run. 

“Kyoko!” Ren said with confidence after she had decided to stay.

Kyoko flinched, every instinct in her body telling her to duck and hide. She resisted, opting to force a smile onto her face and bring her hand up in a weak wave. 

“Come sit.” He hesitated for a moment before adding, “Please?”

Kyoko flinched again, taking extreme effort to keep the smile on her face and not just go running out of the door. She sat down across from him, in what had become their regular seat and busied herself with staring at the stains on the table. 

“So… How have you been? It’s been some time since you were here.” 

Kyoko nodded, switching her attention to the window when she felt his gaze boring into her. 

Ren sighed. “Kyoko… Listen. I know what I did was a little bit inappropriate. Entirely inappropriate. I want to apologize to you for my behavior. I should have never-”

“I’m so sorry!” Kyoko cried, finally looking at him. “For avoiding you, and for the market-! I am so sorry, that was so rude of me. I’d like to think that we’re friends, so it was completely uncalled for to act like that! I hope you can forgive me.” 

Ren blinked, but almost immediately regained his composure.

“Of course, I forgive you Kyoko. That’s what friends are for. We forgive each other.”

Kyoko sighed in relief, tension immediately flooding out of her. “I’m glad. I thought you were never going to talk to me again after… what happened.” 

“You’re telling me.” Ren muttered under his breath.

“Anyways, was it your apology that finally made you come back here?” He questioned with a smirk.

“Um… actually I had to apologize to Okami-san.” Kyoko explained, eyes drifting over to the kitchen where the woman in question was out of sight. 

“Oh? What did you do? Leave without paying or something?”

Kyoko blushed, avoiding eye contact once again. “No, nothing like that. I just… behaved a little rudely the last time I was here. Actually, how did you enjoy the festival yesterday?” 

“Oh, I mainly went out drinking with friends, you know? Swapped stories, ate great food, and watched the fireworks. Same thing everyone else does.”

Before Kyoko could respond, the door to the kitchen opened and Okami-san walked out with a tray of food. Kyoko was puzzled when a bowl of soup was placed in front of her and looked between the bowl and Okami-san in confusion. 

“I didn’t order this.” Kyoko stated, as if the two people she was speaking to didn’t already know that. 

“I know you didn’t,” Okami-san responded, shooting a stern glare at Ren. “This one did. He keeps coming in here, ordering two servings of food and only eating his share. Do you know how much soup I’ve had to either eat or throw out in the last two weeks?” 

Kyoko looked over to Ren, whose face was flushed.

“I like to order more food. Just in case I’m hungrier than I thought… I’m just… usually… not.”

Before her mission was forgotten, Kyoko quickly stood from her chair and bowed steeply towards Okami-san. 

“I apologize profusely for my actions and behavior last night. It was incredibly rude of me to behave that way in your restaurant and I hope that you can forgive me.” 

“Dear, please raise your head?” Okami-san asked warmly, smiling at her. “You don’t need to apologize like that to me. I’ve had more drunkards in here than you’d think. Who  _ should _ be apologizing is that good for nothing young man who allowed you to roll around on the floor like that.” 

Kyoko smiled good-naturedly at the woman, feeling the warmth of a mother in the smile that she was given in return. 

As Kyoko returned to her seat, and Okami-san returned to the kitchen, she noticed Ren staring at her.

“Despite being a drunk you managed to put on Princess Rosa, huh?”

Kyoko stilled in shock, looking down at the necklace resting on her chest and back up at Ren. 

“What?” She asked, not able to believe what he had just said. Kuon was the one who had bought the necklace for her so why did Ren…?

“What’s wrong?” He asked, confused by her expression.

“Princess Rosa? How do you know… what she’s called…?”

“Come on, Kyoko. Princess Rosa is legendary. She’s known across the kingdom. I just can’t believe you were able to afford her. No decent seller would dare put it up for anything less than one hundred gold coins.”

Kyoko frowned further at the price he gave,  _ the exact price the merchant asked for _ . But she quickly realized how silly she was being, the merchant had told her that it had a legend behind it. If that was true, then of course there were others who knew about it. She forced a smile despite her unease. 

“Yeah,” she laughed. “Someone gave her as a gift to me. This small stone is completely filled with magic, you can tell just by looking at her.”

“Princess Rosa is plenty magical… It’s a really nice stone, Kyoko.”

“She is.” Kyoko said, proudly, twirling the stone around in her fingers some more. A sense of deja vu washed over her as she heard Ren’s words.

She paused for a moment, to really look at Ren. The more she focused on him, the more he reminded her of someone. Everything from the shape of his face, his height, and even his posture. They all reminded her of… 

“Hey, I really enjoyed getting to talk to you again. I’ve missed the days when I could openly tease you. And if I’m being honest, I did miss you. But, it’s well past noon and I’ve got to get going.”

“Oh-” Kyoko snapped out of her thoughts and was surprised to see that Ren was already standing. “G-goodbye...” 

Ren gave a slight wave to Kyoko before swiftly exiting the Darumaya.

Kyoko was disappointed to see him go so early since it had been so long since the last time they had sat and talked like this. But an unease had settled in her gut that she couldn’t quite shake. 

~-~

As Kyoko made her way to her room, there were only two people she really wanted to talk to: Chiori and Kanae. Despite what had happened, could she really blame them for not telling her? It was a terrible position for them to be in. If Kyoko really thought about it, she felt that she would do the same thing. There was no way for them to know if it was the truth or not. Besides, she was most to blame for putting unnecessary pressure on them after finding out the truth. Rather than pushing her closest friends away, she should have embraced them for trying to protect her. She knew she had to talk to them immediately and apologize.

Kyoko ran for the handmaidens’ quarters past the kitchen. She stopped in front of Kanae’s door. She would be easier to apologize to than Chiori. She took a deep breath and gently rapped on the door. A few long seconds passed before Chiori opened the door.

Kyoko peered inside the room and could see Kanae sitting on her bed. A rush of memories came back to her. She hadn’t been down here since she was little, but she still vividly remembered her time spent there. After she had turned seven, however, it was time for her to start preparing for her future as a princess. There just wasn’t time to come down here and play with Chiori and Kanae anymore.

“Well?” Chiori started. “Why are you here?”

“Uh…” Kyoko stated dumbly, caught off guard that Chiori had opened the door rather than Kanae. “I wanted to talk.” 

Kanae sighed and Chiori turned to look at her. 

“Let her in, then.”

Chiori moved aside, opening the door wider so that Kyoko could enter.

Kyoko walked past her into the room, wrapping her arms around herself uncomfortably as the two of them waited for her to say something. But she had no idea where to begin. 

“This is a waste of time-” Chiori began.

Kanae shushed her, looking up at Kyoko patiently. 

Kyoko broke under the weight of their stares, dropping to her knees and bowing her head deeply to the floor. 

“ _ I’m so sorry! _ ” She cried, tears running down her face and dripping down onto the floor beneath her. 

Kanae stood up in shock. She was about to kneel down to Kyoko when Chiori pulled her back.

“Stand up. A princess should  _ never _ kneel.” Chiori snapped.

“Well, I’m  _ not _ a princess.” Kyoko argued, sniffling pathetically. 

Chiori sighed and yanked Kyoko unwillingly from the floor. 

“Kyoko-  _ Princess _ Kyoko, I know I don’t always treat you like it but… You  _ are _ a princess. Maybe not biologically, but you are my princess, you are Kanae’s princess, and you are the kingdom’s _ one and only  _ princess. Alright?”

Kyoko stared at her with watery eyes for a long moment before latching onto the handmaiden, crushing her in a bruising hug. 

“ _ Chiori~! _ ” Kyoko squealed. 

Chiori grunted and shoved Kyoko away from her, straightening out her clothes angrily. 

“ _ This _ .” She spat. “ _ This _ is why I never tell you things like that.”

Kanae stepped forward and placed a hand on Kyoko’s shoulder. 

“And as far as your apology is concerned, you don’t have to worry about it. We were never upset with you to start with.”

Kyoko spun around to face her, tears threatening to spill from her eyes again. 

“But I said such mean and unfair things to you two! You have every right to be upset with me!” 

“Of course we do!” Chori agreed, irritably.

“ _ But _ ,” Kanae intervened. “We love you, and we know it must have been really tough trying to handle all that information. We should have told you. And for that, we’re sorry.” 

Kanae dipped into a bow. After a second of realizing that Chiori was still standing, she shoved her into a bow as well.

“Alright, alright we’re all sorry.” Chiori groaned, slumping down onto Kanae’s bed. “Now, sit down and tell us how was your day at the festival? We heard Kuon came into the kingdom.”

Kyoko’s face lit up at the mention of the name but quickly deflated as she remembered the earlier events of the day.

“He did, we walked around the festival together. It was great but…” Kyoko trailed off, slowly taking a seat next to Chiori.

“Did he try to kiss you again?” Kanae asked.

“No,” Kyoko denied quickly, cheeks coloring as she shook her head. “He didn’t do anything like that but… It’s about Ren, actually.” 

“Did  _ he  _ try to kiss you again?” Chiori added.

“ _ No!  _ He didn’t. I just have a strange feeling about him… is it possible for a person who is clearly themselves to also be another person who isn’t them but is that person?” Kyoko asked. 

Kanae and Chiori looked at one another. 

“What?” They asked in unison.

“Ren… said some things today that are bothering me.” Kyoko explained, looking down at Princess Rosa contemplatively. “I know it’s stupid and I’m overreacting but… Kuon bought me this necklace at the festival and Ren somehow not only knew the name of it but also exactly how much it cost. And other things too, like how I said before that he reminded me of someone? And when I really think about it there are little things that he said that just never stood out. Like he knew I had an ex-fiance, but I never told him… It’s weird and I can’t understand it.” 

“So… you think that… Ren is… Kuon?” Kanae asked with caution.

“What?” Kyoko asked, frowning in confusion. “How is Ren  _ Kuon _ ? That doesn’t make any sense. I was just thinking that it’s strange that I know two people who are so similar and yet completely different. Where are you getting something like that from?” 

“For crying out loud- Kyoko,  _ think! _ Aren’t they a little  _ too _ similar?” Chiori said.

_ “Geez, Chiori. _ ” Kanae warned viciously. 

“Kanae. Do you want to  _ not _ tell her? Just like we didn’t tell her about her mother?” Chiori snapped.

“That has nothing to do with this, Chiori. It’s none of our business. And we aren’t even sure it’s true.” Kanae spat.

“Kyoko and her happiness  _ is  _ our business. Or do you disagree?”

“Fine. Tell her, then.” Kanae sighed. “Just as long as you deal with the consequences.” 

“The only consequence would be what happens if we  _ don’t _ tell her. I  _ told _ you she didn’t have any idea about it.” 

“Um…” Kyoko looked confusedly between the two. “What are you talking about? What do you need to tell me?” 

“Kyoko, we believe that Ren  _ might  _ not be who he says he is.” 

“What do you mean?” Kyoko asked with wide eyes. 

“We think Ren is Kuon.” Chiori blurted out.

Kyoko raised a sceptical eyebrow. 

“I know we must sound crazy, but just  _ think _ . You’ve told us so many stories, and half the time I can’t even tell if you’re talking about Ren or Kuon.”

Kyoko thought about it, but shook her head. It was just too implausible.

“You said he  _ told you _ he was a  _ fairy. _ How much more evidence do you need?” Kanae asked.

Kyoko’s mind was racing a mile a minute. Ren and Kuon did have the same measurements, their personalities were incredibly similar, he did say he was a fairy, and if she disconnected the voice from the face, their voices were eerily similar. But, it just didn’t make sense. How would he have been doing this? And why?

“Alright, let’s say I believe you.” Kyoko stated, carefully. “How would he even…?”

“Magic.” Chiori answered. 

Kyoko shook her head again. “Kuon doesn’t have magical powers. Besides, can magic even accomplish that much?”

She looked up at the two fairies expectantly.

“We… wouldn’t know for sure.” Kanae shrugged. “We’re your handmaidens Kyoko. We’ve been here since birth. We know about as much about magic as the common folk.” 

“Well, who  _ would _ know…?” Kyoko asked. 

As the words left her mouth, the answer popped into her head. She looked at Chiori and Kanae and the looks on their faces said it all.

“Alright… I guess I have no choice.”

~-~

Kyoko stood before the dark stone of the building in front of her. The hanging sign on the corner of the building was swinging back and forth ominously but Kyoko strangely didn’t feel the wind that was moving it. 

She sighed, mentally preparing herself for what would happen as soon as she passed through those stained black doors. 

She was outside of  _ Beagle _ ,  ** _again_ ** . 

As much as she hated the prospect of having to converse with Reino again there wasn’t anyone else in the town that she could safely ask about this. She could have asked her father, but she wasn’t sure how much he knew and he would want to know what her sudden interest in magic was and she wasn’t sure she wanted to tell him of her suspicions just yet. 

Reino is part-fae so he had to know  _ something _ about how fairy magic worked. 

With a deep sigh, Kyoko pushed open the door, instantly hearing the ringing of the bell, and stepped inside. 

It was quiet, very much unlike the first time she was there. She almost thought the shop was closed, but then wondered why the door would be unlocked if that were the case. She stepped forward in the darkness, very carefully.

She hesitated before calling out. “R-Reino?”

A tingling sensation ran down her spine. Something felt off about the place. Her eyes began to adjust to the darkness and she took another step forward. A sudden blood curdling scream startled Kyoko, and caused her to scream as well.

“Watch where you’re going!” A gruff, but slightly familiar, voice called out near her. 

Kyoko was confused about where the sound was coming from until she looked down and saw the vague silhouette of a man right where her foot was a few seconds ago. She screamed a second time when she looked around the room and saw the whites of several pairs of eyes from different spots in the room looking in her direction. 

“Will you  _ please _ keep it down?” Another voice asked from the darkness, clearly agitated. 

“Why are you all just laying on the floor like that?!” Kyoko whisper-yelled, heart beating fast from the sudden scare. 

The eyes all seemingly disappeared, meaning they must have closed their eyes again, ignoring her question. She was ready to turn around and leave, when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

“Princess,” Reino’s voice rang out eerily in the darkness. “Come with me.”

Kyoko hesitantly followed Reino as he guided her through the darkness and into the backroom. The candles back there were such a contrast to the darkness that her eyes had to adjust yet again.

“Please, sit. I apologize that Miroku could not fetch you. He is in town buying supplies for me at the moment. Now, enough about Miroku, why is that you have come here, princess? Not that I ever mind seeing you.”

Kyoko sat as she was instructed, looking around the room uncomfortably. 

“I… needed to ask you about something.” 

“Ah, has the great change come to greet you, then? Or is it something else?” Reino murmured in interest, taking a seat at his desk, and leaning forward.

Kyoko frowned. “I don’t know if it did or if it didn’t.” She shook her head. “I came to ask you about magic. Fae magic.” 

Reino cocked his head to the side curiously. “ _ Magic _ ? Now, why would you have an interest in that, I wonder…”

Kyoko rolled her eyes. “I’m sure you have  _ some _ idea why I’m asking without me telling you.”

A smile crept on Reino’s face which was soon followed by a laugh. 

“You, Princess Kyoko… You never fail to amuse me. Why don’t you humor me then, and tell me what it is you inquire about magic?”

Kyoko tried and failed to ignore the disturbed shiver that ran down her spine. 

“I wanted to know what it could do.” She explained. “If it could be used to completely change someone’s appearance.”

“An appearance…?” Reino stood from his chair. “Why now you have peaked my curiosity. Tell me Princess Kyoko, who on earth could make you so desperate for answers that you may wind up here? I am eager to know.”

He stood behind Kyoko and placed both his hands on her shoulders. Kyoko stiffened immediately, instantly regretting coming here already. Reino’s hands were cold, unnaturally cold, and the chill was seeping through her clothes. 

“Nobody. I was just curious about it.” Kyoko lied. It was completely unconvincing even to her own ears. 

Reino tsked as he shook his head. “Now that just won’t do.”

She could feel his grip tighten on her shoulders. He bent down until his mouth was level to her ear. When he spoke, his voice was deeper, and she could feel a shiver down her spine with every word he spoke.

“Now, is there any reason to lie to me, Princess Kyoko?”

Regret. That is the only thing that Kyoko felt then. Absolute regret at having come here. Absolute regret at having thought it was a good idea to come here for  _ anything _ . 

She had known ever since she met him. It was years ago- when she was making her official debut as a princess and doing the traditional greeting of all the citizens in the capital. It was an event not unlike the annual festival and Kyoko had gone around greeting and introducing herself to everyone and received more welcoming gifts than she could carry. And then there had been  _ him _ . Even with the multitude of eyes on her she could still feel  _ his _ specifically. He was standing a distance away from the crowd and everytime she glanced in his direction she caught his eye, and had turned away uncomfortably. He hadn’t approached her, at least not until the night fell and the crowd had thinned. He had introduced himself to her as Reino, offering her a shimmering white rose. He had said something to her as well; words she no longer remembered, but the spine tingling, body numbing fear she felt at the moment, was exactly what she had felt then.

Reino opened his mouth yet again, when a quiet but firm voice filled the room.

“Reino.”

Both their heads turned to see Miroku standing in the room. Reino immediately straightened himself out and sat back in his chair. 

“I cannot help you, unless you are completely honest with me, princess.”

His voice had returned to normal, and he seemed eerily calm.

Kyoko sighed, more in relief that anything else. She was glad that the blanket of doom that seemed to be covering her was removed with Miroku’s sudden appearance. 

“Fine,” She acquiesced, not wanting a repeat of what had just happened. “It’s about a fairy I know. I think he may be disguising himself using magic and pretending to be someone else.” 

“Trouble in paradise? I could have told you about Ren the day you met him.”

“W-what?” Kyoko gasped, completely shocked. “How do you know-” 

Reino smirked at her. “Princess, do you honestly believe that any of your movements are a secret to me?”

“I-” Kyoko began only to shake her head as a new feeling of discomfort boiled under the surface of her skin. “What do you mean by-” 

“Princess, do you think that day we met was merely a coincidence? I know so much about you and who you are. If you ask me, I don’t understand why you are so hell bent on that man.”

“On that… the day we…  _ what _ ?” Kyoko stuttered, not able to keep up with the conversation at all. “ _ Who?” _

“Don’t you agree that your time would be better spent with me?”

“What?” Kyoko had asked, in complete confusion, still not understanding how the conversation had even gotten to this point.

“Does he not argue with you constantly?” Reino continued on, as if she hadn’t said anything. 

“Does he not anger you? Does it not make you trust him less now that you know the truth about his lies?”

“ _ Who _ are you talking about?” Kyoko demanded, on the verge of getting a headache from his constant questioning. 

Reino leaned in towards her. “Ren. Kuon. Choose whichever name you prefer. Have you not realized that he’s been lying to you?”

Kyoko’s jaw dropped in surprise. Hearing it said out loud like that sent a strange pang of shock through her and even though she wasn’t sure if she could believe what Reino was saying it only felt like he was confirming her own suspicions. 

“Interesting. You seem genuinely shocked by this revelation. Do you hate him now? Are you frustrated?”

“Of course, I don’t hate him.” Kyoko snapped. “I don’t even know if what you’re saying is true.” 

“Didn’t you come here because you already knew? Was this visit not to simply confirm your suspicions? I’m more curious as to how you could possibly  _ not _ hate him. He has lied to you, deceived you and betrayed your trust. I would be a much better fit for a princess-”

“No.” Kyoko cut him off abruptly. “I need to hear it from his own mouth. I care deeply for both of them… well  _ him _ . And I am never going to end up with someone like  _ you _ who sits here in this dark and creepy building getting into other people’s business rather than living his  _ own _ life.” 

“You... You  _ love _ him.” Reino sat back in his chair. He looked defeated.

“When did he…? How…?” Reino stood from his chair and turned his back on Kyoko. His body began to shake until his laughter became audible and filled the room yet again.

“Well, this has become an interesting turn of events.” He turned to face her. “I suppose I will just have to steal you from him.”

Kyoko shuddered at the smile that was plastered on his face. 

Miroku stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. She had forgotten he was there and almost jumped at his touch.

“I believe it is time for you to leave.”

Kyoko couldn’t agree more. She quickly stood, making her way out of the room and out into air that she could actually breathe. Inside the shop was cold and being inside filled her with a constant feeling of dread. She stood there for a minute, overwhelmed by what had just happened but she somehow felt like she was still feeling Reino’s eyes on her as she began walking. 

She had her suspicions confirmed, whether Reino was telling the truth or not, and had come to realize that she truly did care for both Ren and Kuon through the conversation with him so she wasn’t coming away completely empty-handed. But now she was at a loss as to what to do next. She still wanted to hear it from Ren’s mouth so that she could be completely sure but… if it was true then Kuon had been lying to her for months now and that wasn’t something to be taken so lightly. 

  
It was time to go to the one person she hadn’t talked with yet-  _ Lory. _


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _ Both the Prince and the Princess receive the guidance of fatherly wisdom. _

Kuon had more energy than he’d had in weeks. Not only did he get to spend time with Kyoko at the festival but he also got an opportunity to see her as Ren. He was ready to apologize to her, but was only too happy to retract it after she started on her own apology. He only hoped that this meant they would continue their usual routine of meeting everyday at the Darumaya. He left earlier than usual at the promise of seeing her again so soon. The last thing he wanted was anyone intervening on the way there. 

His eyes adjusted to the darkness very quickly and he was about to make his way to Jelly’s when he felt a pair of eyes on him. 

“That’s my son, always sharp as a knife.”

Kuon turned to face his father, hiding amongst the shadows.

“Father? Why are you up so early? The sun hasn’t even risen yet.” 

Kuon was annoyed. The last person he expected to be up to stop him right now was his father. He was typically very laid back and therefore the last person to get up, so his sudden appearance made no sense.

“I could ask you the same thing. Where are you headed off to, Kuon?” There was a sternness in his voice that was foreign, Kuon only remembered hearing it when he was shirking off his duties. 

“I was just…” Kuon stalled, searching for an appropriate response. “Going to visit Jelly.” 

“This early in the morning?” Kuu asked incredulously, raising an eyebrow. 

“Yeah. She’s very busy, always having to deal with healing… and whatnot. Just trying to get ahead of the crowd.”

“Is that so?” Kuu asked, “Maybe I should pay her a visit as well. It’s been some time since I last saw her.”

“Father… Why… are you really here?” 

Kuon was far from stupid and he knew his father better than anyone else. Kuu smiled and it only confirmed Kuon’s suspicions. The pit of his stomach suddenly became very heavy.

“I’m just here to see what my son is up to. I haven’t seen you around lately, don’t you think that we should spend more time together as father and son?” 

Kuon thought about running. His father was fast, but he was sure he was faster… He decided against it though, regardless of whether or not he outran his father, he would have to return home eventually. 

Kuon sighed, and held open the door to his room, inviting his father inside. Whatever this conversation was, he was sure he wouldn’t like it. He followed Kuu as he entered and took a seat on Kuon’s bed.

“So, what  _ have _ you been up to lately, son? I wasn’t aware that you had such an interest in the human territory.” 

“Human territory? I think you know me better than that.” Kuon avoided eye contact. He hated lying to his father.

“You’re right.” Kuu agreed, sharply. “I  _ do _ know you better than that. And I know that you’ve been sneaking off into the human territory almost every day. So, I’m asking you what it is that you’ve been doing there.” 

Kuon couldn’t muster up any words in response. He knew lying wouldn’t get him anywhere at this point, and admitting to it seemed just as bad. He held his head down, unsure of how to quell his father’s frustration.

“I’m assuming by you not answering me that it’s something you shouldn’t have been doing.” Kuu reasoned tiredly.

“Father, I…” Kuon sighed. “I know what I did… was wrong. There is no excuse. For me to use magic and alter my appearance-”

“ _ You did what? _ ” Kuu gasped. 

Kuon froze. He had given himself up. 

“You… didn’t…” Kuon watched as his father frowned in surprise. 

“ _ No _ …” Kuu answered harshly. “I only knew about you sneaking off and avoiding work. How could you do something so reckless like using magic to change your appearance? Is  _ that _ what you were visiting Jelly for? Why were you doing something like that?” 

“Father… I- I can’t get her out of my head…” Kuon didn’t know what else to do but to be honest.

His father frowned at his vagueness but soon enough his face lit up in recognition. 

“The  _ princess _ ? Princess Kyoko? Were you… pretending to be someone else just so that you could speak with her normally? Why would you do something like that? You’ve had plenty of opportunities to speak with her.” 

Kuon shook his head. “It didn’t start off that way… You were always boasting on and on about how humans weren’t that bad. You talked about how we should get to know them. I felt like… I could  _ prove _ that you were wrong. I had Jelly change me and I got caught up at this restaurant. They served humans and fairies, both, equally. I really enjoyed my time there…”

Kuon paused and took a deep breath before continuing on.

“Then she walked in there one day. She had the ugliest crying face I had ever seen. Then, she opened up her mouth, and what she said was even worse. I wanted nothing more than to throw her out of the restaurant never to be seen again. She was stubborn, naive and the most ignorant person I had ever met. But… Have you ever been drawn to someone? Like, no matter how much your mind is screaming at you that she’s terrible, you just… Can’t shake her?”

His father nodded solemnly, smiling faintly. 

“Do you think that your mother and I got along well when we first met? She was  _ terrible _ , completely insufferable. Loud, annoying, a complete monster to be around. But she was always there for me when the stress of leading all of the fae got to be too much and I found myself unable to stay away from her. No matter how much I wanted to.” 

He sighed. “I understand, son. All too well. But… if you really feel that way about her, then why are you lying to her?” 

“It’s not that I want to. It’s just that, she met Ren. She  _ knew  _ Ren. Kuon-  _ me,  _ as far as she knew, I was some human-hating fae prince who randomly kissed her the first time we met.”

“Wait, I’m sorry you did  _ what _ ?” Kuu interrupted in shock.

“She trusted Ren and told him things that she would never tell Kuon. I couldn’t just… throw that away.” Kuon continued on, without realizing his father had intervened.

This was the first time he had come face to face with his decisions. This talk was helping him understand his thoughts and how he actually felt.

Kuu couldn’t help but to chuckle at the sight of Kuon. 

“Son, I understand. You were caught between a rock and a hard place. The use of magic should be done responsibly though. If you truly care for this girl, you will stop these shenanigans and tell her the truth once and for all.”

Kuon sighed. As much as he hated to admit it, his father was right. He really cared about Kyoko and if the roles were reversed, he would want her to be honest with him. 

“You’re right. I’ll tell her. Today.” 

~-~

Kyoko was sitting in the dining room eating breakfast early in the morning. Chiori and Kanae had helped her get ready that morning after she fell asleep in Kanae’s room for the first time since they were kids. It was nice to have them helping her again even though she had gotten used to doing it herself. It felt like things had gone back to normal. Although they were far from it. 

Ren had been lying to her. Kuon had been lying to her. And she didn’t know what to do about either of those things. She thought she’d been hurt by the secrets that Kanae and Chiori had kept from her but this… this was much worse.

Suddenly, she felt a hand on her shoulder, causing her to almost jump out of her chair. She looked up and saw her father, well Lory, staring down at her in concern. 

“You’ve been staring into your food for the past couple of minutes, Kyoko. Is everything alright?”

“Um,” Kyoko forced a smile and began pushing her food around rather than eating it. “Not really.”

Lory’s face turned serious. “Is it something you would want to talk about?”

“Not really.” Kyoko grimaced, shoving a spoonful of porridge into her mouth just so that she wouldn’t end up wasting it. 

Lory looked down at Kyoko and there was a strange look of… grief on his face.

“Kyoko… I still want to be there for you. I let the situation with Kanae and Chiori go, but… You cannot shut me out.”

Kyoko looked up at him, finally pulling her eyes away from her porridge with wide eyes. She almost didn’t understand what he was referring to, or why he’d said something like that all of a sudden but then she realized. He had lied to her as well. He’d let her believe all these years that he was her real father and hid all sorts of secrets from her.

Her mouth pressed into a thin line. She hadn’t been angry before, probably because she was too shocked to be. Then, her mind had been so distracted with Kuon and Ren and Chiori and Kanae that she hadn’t let herself think about her recent discovery. But now that she was thinking about it, that feeling of betrayal that all too familiar these days had returned and she felt herself becoming more and more upset. 

“You lied to me.” She stated quietly. 

“Kyoko… It wasn’t- What I did was for you. I didn’t want you to carry this burden I know you must be feeling. This conflict within yourself…” Lory timidly placed a hand on Kyoko’s shoulder.

Kyoko resisted the urge to lean into his hand and let him comfort her like he’d done so many times before. 

“You  _ lied _ to me.” She repeated, still quiet, even as tears stung at her eyes. “My whole life has been nothing but a lie.”

“That’s not the least bit true. Your father, if he had been around, I’m sure things would have been no different. I loved you no differently than I would have if you were my own daughter. You were raised no differently. And the people around you love you no differently.” Lory said with an uncharacteristically stern tone.

“ _ You lied to me _ .” Kyoko repeated, again, and the words were like acid in her throat. “If I hadn’t found that record and figured it out for myself, would you ever have told me? Or would you just continue lying to me for my entire life? I deserved to  _ know _ , no matter the  _ burden _ or the consequence.” 

Lory moved to a chair closer to Kyoko and sat.

“I did. I lied. And if I could go back, I would lie again. Kyoko, I know how my sister felt after she found out. She was unable to rise from her bed. She refused to leave her room, and she barely ate. The last thing I wanted was to push that burden onto you. I know Saena already forced you to carry some of that weight and I was not going to add to it. So, I lied. And I am truly sorry that you had to find out the way you did and not from me… But as I said, I would do it again to shelter you from any pain I could.”

Kyoko was quiet for a long moment before she looked up at him. “The truth is not a burden. It’s just… the truth. I still can’t say that I understand why you decided to lie to me for so long, but I appreciate you raising me like I was your own. You certainly didn’t have to.” 

Lory sighed. “Kyoko. I loved you from the moment you were born. Of course I had to.” 

Kyoko leaned into his hand on her shoulder then before he squeezed it and let go. 

“I love you, too.” She murmured. 

Lory curtly nodded his head.

“Well,” Lory began clearing his throat as he tried to nonchalantly wipe a tear away. “I have something I need to talk to you about. How did you enjoy Hikaru’s company?”

Kyoko frowned, looking up from her food. “I… enjoyed it very much. I think that we’ll be great friends in the future. Why do you ask?” 

“Could you see him being a good king?”

“I think that he’s very nice, kind, and gentle. I’m not sure how much he knows about ruling a kingdom but he’s a good person.”

Lory sighed and shook his head.

“I suppose after seventeen years I should know to be more direct with you. Do you see a future for you and Hikaru as a king and queen together?”

“I…” Kyoko bit her lip. “I’m not sure. I’ve never thought about it.” 

“K-Kyoko… It was a  _ marriage _ interview. I made that blatantly clear.”

“I know but since it was my first time meeting him, it felt more like an introduction than anything else. And I ended up telling him a bunch of embarrassing things, because I wanted him to know that I wasn’t completely pure because he should  _ know _ that as a marriage candidate and… I guess I see him as more of a friend than anything else. So… I haven’t thought about it.” 

“Completely pure? What happened Kyoko?” Lory looked a bit scared.

Kyoko looked equally as shocked and began shaking her head. “I-I’m so sorry that I didn’t tell you about it, but on the day that we met Kuon kissed me so I’m not entirely pure anymore. I’m sorry for my recklessness.” 

“He did WHA- Kissed you…? Wait… Kissed?”

“Yes. He didn’t force himself onto me or anything of the sort. I’d like to say that he was a complete gentlemen but our first introduction to each other was… rocky to say the least. I’m not sure why he did something like that out of nowhere but I know that I should have refused him. I apologize, it’s not behavior befitting the princess.” 

Lory let out a sigh of relief. 

“Well, nevermind that Kyoko, do you have anyone in mind as far as marriage goes? I would appreciate total honesty.”

Kyoko’s eyes widened and her mouth opened and closed several times in surprise. “No! There- there isn’t anyone I’ve been thinking of.”

Lory shook his head. “Not even Kuon?”

Kyoko couldn’t help the blush that spread across her cheeks. “I… Well, I know that his parents want that for us but… I thought that you were against it.” 

“I wouldn’t say that I am…  _ against _ the idea of you marrying Kuon. It’s actually very complicated Kyoko. I want to know how you feel.”   
  


“I don’t know how I feel.” Kyoko sighed. “I found out that Kuon’s been lying to me about something very serious. And I just… I don’t know how to feel anymore.” 

“Lied to you… About what Kyoko?”

“About who he was. I met this man named Ren in the Darumaya, the fairy owned restaurant that’s just near the border, and I’ve been talking with him for months and I thought that we were friends but it was all just a lie. I’m not sure how or even  _ why _ he did it but I think that Kuon was pretending to be Ren and lying to me about it.” 

Lory was silent for a long while.

“Kyoko, perhaps it is not my place to say. However, when it comes to choosing the man to rule our kingdom, you should be… cautious. Would you like to know more about your father?”

“My father?” Kyoko echoed incredulously. “Wh-what about him?” 

“I knew your father quite well before his truth was revealed. He was kind to everyone he met and very gentle. The way he looked at Saena… I’ve never seen such passion in anyone. If I’m perfectly honest with myself, I believe he loved her. I think he loved her more than even I did. He wasn’t a bad man. He had a mission, and he fell in love. He had to choose between his people and one person. It couldn’t have been an easy decision. But he made the wrong choice.”

“What happened to him? Is he dead?” 

“I wish I knew. Soon after Kuu took control he disbanded all rogue groups. I don’t hate him. Wherever he is, I know he has to live with the decision he made. But  _ he _ made that decision Kyoko. You should give Kuon the chance to make his decision as well.”

Kyoko bit her lip. “I don’t know if I want to give him a chance. I’ve spent these last few months getting to know both Ren and Kuon as separate people and I struggled knowing that I was developing feelings for both of them. And now… now I don’t know what to do. Shotaro hurt me by doing what he did but this hurts more.” 

“Well, this only hurts more Kyoko, because you have feelings for Kuon that you never had for Shotaro.” Lory began tearing up.

“Wh-why are you crying all of a sudden?” Kyoko asked in alarm. 

“My beautiful girl is all grown up now. Falling in love… Even if it is with the wrong man.”

Just as quickly as the tears came, he blinked them away and suddenly became serious yet again.

“I would not advise choosing Kuon. You know the story of my son. He fell for a fairy and I exiled him. However, I exiled him of his own request. It was easier for him to choose someone he loves over the crown. Times have changed but people not so much. I know what goes on amongst the common folk, Kyoko. I do the best I can but it takes a lot of time for people to lick the wounds from a hundred years ago. If you were to choose Kuon, the people may not accept you as their queen.”

“They might not accept me as their queen because I’m  _ not _ their queen.” Kyoko argued. 

“What could you mean by that?” Lory said in shock.

“I mean that I’m not even the true princess so how could I ever be the true queen, Lory.” It hurt for her to call him that but she needed to face the truth. She wasn’t his daughter and she never would be. “It’s not right to your granddaughter and you know that.” 

Lory shook his head immediately.

“Kyoko… It really does pain me to hear you call my name. You are not my biological daughter, this is true. But let us look at it in a logical manner. I don’t believe you would listen to me any other way. If you were raised as Saena’s daughter, then after my son was exiled, you would still be the rightful queen.”

That might have been true but it still didn’t feel right to Kyoko. To her, it felt like she was stealing Maria’s rightful place and the fact that she was part fairy should have immediately disqualified her from the position anyways.

“I thought you young people were supposed to bring forth change? Yet here you are with this old-minded way of thinking. Either way, I would much prefer it if you address me as ‘father’ as you have always done before.”

Kyoko fought back a smile as she allowed herself at least that small comfort. “Alright…  _ father _ .” 

“Now as far as Kuon is concerned, what do you plan to do?”

“I don’t know… I guess that I need to speak with him about all of this.” Kyoko shrugged. 

“Good. Good. Now, as much as I’d love to support you in all that you do, the people of this kingdom are not so forgiving. If you choose to be with him, you may very well have to give up your crown. However, if you choose a nice  _ wholesome _ man such as Hikaru, you will be favored by the kingdom. Regardless of your choice Kyoko, know that I love you and will support you in whichever decision you make.”

Kyoko sighed, already tired from the weight of the decisions that she would have to make. 

“Thank you, father. I’ll think about it.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _ The Princess meets the Prince and the Prince meets the Princess. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for continuing to read and support this story! We've reached the halfway mark. 💕

Ren waited nervously in the Darumaya. He went over what would happen in his head again and again. Somehow though, in his head, she always ended up hating him or being disgusted by him. It took everything in him not to dash out of the restaurant before she showed up. His father was right though. He does love Kyoko and in order to show it, he has to tell her the truth. He ordered some sake to calm his nerves. He had a number of ways to tell her. He could just bring her to Jelly and unveil the whole operation. Or he could just tell her and hope she doesn’t think he’s insane. Either way, he was sure that the clock was only ticking down until she arrived.

The bell on the door rang and Ren took a deep breath before turning to see who it was. It was Kyoko. His heart was pounding in his chest and his mouth was suddenly dry. He was frozen in place. She waved at him, and although he wanted to wave back, his body wouldn’t allow it. As she approached him, he took a deep breath. She sat down in the chair next to him and he somehow managed to give her a small smile.

“Hi… Kyoko.”

She attempted to give him a smile in return but it looked forced even to him. 

“Hi… ” 

He opened his mouth to speak, but his nerves overtook him. Instead, he turned to Okami-san.

“Two orders of mackerel and miso soup, please.”

Okami-san nodded her head and made her way into the kitchen. Now the two of them were really alone. Ren almost wished this was one of their busier days. He turned to look at Kyoko again.

“So… what’s been going on with you lately?”

Kyoko shifted uncomfortably and her eyes flitted around the room once before landing on him then they darted away again, she was cradling Princess Rosa in her hands. 

“Nothing really. How about you, how have you been?”

He turned to look at her, and saw Okami-san heading towards someone who looked familiar. He peered over Kyoko to see Kijima calling over Okami-san. Rage built inside of Ren, but he pushed it back. He slumped down to hide behind Kyoko and proceeded to answer her. 

“Pretty… alright. I talked to my father today… About something. And it got me thinking… You know?” He couldn’t look at her as he spoke and settled on facing forward.

“Oh? About what?” 

“The… truth. Being honest with people you care about.” He was building up to it, but it was hard for him to just tell her straight-forward.

“I know that you’re Kuon, Ren.” Kyoko blurted out suddenly. 

Ren froze. It took a moment for his brain to catch up to what she had just said. She… knew? How long had she known? Did she not care? But then why would she say it now? If Kyoko was anything, it wasn’t subtle. If she had known before, she would have confronted him. Did he let something slip? Before his mind could fully grasp what was happening, she spoke again.

“You’ve been lying to me this whole time and I was angry about it when I realized… but you must have had a reason for it right? Some kind of explanation for why you’d do something like this?” Ren looked up at her and saw her clenching her jaw with tears in her eyes.

“I…” What could he say? What could he say to keep her from walking out the door?

She continued before he could get the words out. “Because if you are just trying to trick me like my father tricked my mother, then I think that we’re done here. I’m gullible, I know, but I don’t want to think that you would do something like that to me. So just… give me a good reason for why you’re doing this.” 

“Kyoko, I… I love you.” There was a desperation in his voice, that even he could hear. He didn’t care. How could she even think that for a second he was trying to hurt her?

“W-what?” Kyoko sputtered with wide eyes. 

“You… You believe me right? I love you. I would never do something to hurt you. Not purposefully.” His voice was shaking and he held his hands together to keep them from shaking as well.

Kyoko blinked and her face was blank of emotion before she cocked her head to the side and frowned. 

“Why did you lie to me and pretend to be two different people, then? I know you as Kuon and you know me as the princess, why did you need to do this? Ren and Kuon are two sides of you, which one of them are you right now?”

Ren froze. He never expected it to go like this. He came here ready to tell her the truth, but now everything has changed. He told her how he felt. He put his heart out there for her and she rejected it. Even worse, she didn’t even really acknowledge it. To think, he was stupid enough to fall for a human. Let alone, the _ princess _ of the humans. They’re all the same. Cruel and vicious with no remorse or care for anything they do.

“I wasn’t the only one that wasn’t truthful.”

“_ What _?” Kyoko gasped in shock.

“You recall when we first met? I didn’t tell you I was the fae- That I was Kuon. But did you tell me who _ you _ were? Why would you hide the fact that you were the princess? You said it yourself, we knew each other already as Kuon and the princess. Are you ashamed? Or perhaps did you think you could play with the heart of a common man before you cruelly rejected him? But that’s just what all you humans do isn’t it? Take and take, with no care about who gets hurt in the end.” 

Kyoko’s mouth dropped open as her frown deepened and it was obvious that she was becoming angry. But Ren couldn’t stop the words from flying out of his mouth. He knew Kyoko, and what kind of person she was. Yet all the same, he couldn’t help but think about what he’d seen amongst the humans.

“_ Excuse me _ ? I didn’t tell you who I was because I wanted to get away from the castle and be treated like a _ person, _ rather than the princess. You said I was a noble so I went along with it since it isn’t that far from the truth. _ You _ pretended to be a human, you _ are _ pretending to be a human and yet you’re sitting across from me _ insulting _ them. You lied to me from the beginning. I know Kuon and I know Ren but I have no idea who _ you _ are and I don’t think you do either.” 

Ren couldn’t help but chuckle at her response.

“You wanted to be treated like a person? That’s rich. Kyoko, you’re human. It’s such a shame that there are people who adore you everywhere you go. It must be hard having everyone love you. But, did you ever think maybe _ I _ wanted to be treated like a person? Like someone people didn’t hate just for living? Maybe I wanted the _ luxury _ of being able to walk on the street without getting scorned at? Maybe I wanted another person to look at me and _ see _ me. Instead of seeing a fairy, or a traitor, or someone lesser than them. Even you, little princess of acceptance- How many times have you had a thought of disgust in regards to fae people? How many times have _ you _ shied away from what your people have done and what they have turned even _ you _into? You wanted to be treated like a person? That’s a joke.”

"Our lives aren't that different, Kuon. You said I was naive but if you think that you’re the only person that has problems then maybe you’re more naive than you think.” 

Ren was ready to retort when Okami-san returned. She had the usual kind smile on her face, although Ren knew she could feel the tension.

“Here are your soups, and a drink for you, young lady.” 

Kyoko looked at the drink in confusion but her expression had softened now that she was looking at Okami-san. 

“I… I didn’t order this.” 

“It’s from that young man sitting over there.”

  
Kyoko turned to look at who Okami-san was pointing at and Ren watched in horror as he followed her hand to Kijima. Recognition spread across his face, and rage soon built up inside of Ren at the realization of what was happening.

Kijima had gotten up from his seat with a bright smile and was walking over to their table. Okami-san nodded at him and returned to her work 

Ren almost followed and got up from his seat as well, but decided to remain sitting. Wherever Kijima was, trouble soon followed, and Ren wasn’t going to be the cause of a disruption at the Daramaya.

“Princess Kyoko! Is that you?! No wonder, I knew I could recognize that royally beautiful face of yours anywhere! One might even say _ criminally _.” 

“O-oh… uh… H-Hidehito was it?” Kyoko greeted him in obvious discomfort. 

“Oh, we’re on a first name basis are we? If we’re getting that comfortable you might as well stick with Hide. Well then what are you doing here, way out near the border, Kyoko? Having a _ secret rendezvous _? What happened to that fiancé of yours? I didn’t really take you for the playing-the-field type. Though, I hoped.” Kijima wiggled his eyebrows playfully. His attention turned from Kyoko to Ren and his eyes lit up in surprise and curiosity.

“You! I’ve seen you before! You were… you were the one looking for that cute girl before! With the auburn hair and…” Kijima’s eyes flickered between Ren and Kyoko as he seemed to come to some realization. 

“_ Wait. _ You were looking for the _ princess!? _ She’s totally cute! Of course you were looking for her!” 

Kyoko frowned and looked back and forth between Ren and Kijima in confusion. “You… know Ren?” 

“_ Ren _ ?” Kijima echoed and his eyes went wide as he stared at Ren for a long moment. “Oh! Wow! I completely didn’t recognize you at all, Kuon! Jelly really does some _ fantastic _ work! You look _ just _ like a human! I _ swear _ I’ve seen you around more than a few times, but all men look the same to me, _ especially _ humans.” 

Ren looked up at the sound of his name. How on _ earth _ did Kijima notice that he was Kuon? If it was Yashiro, he would know in a heartbeat. But _ Kijima? _

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

“Oh, _ please _ .” Kijima scoffed, pulling up a chair from an adjacent table and taking a seat. “I heard the entire conversation you had with Kuu this morning. I happened to be up, I was entertaining some servants late into the night and I happened to see Kuu head up to your room. I followed, of course, juicy royal secrets are the _ best _ sorts of drama. So, I heard all about Jelly helping you out with _ Ren _ and all about your love for the princess. By the way, faking an identity is _ not _ the way to go about it. Women like gifts, I thought I told you that already.” 

“Yeah, thanks for the advice.” 

With that, Ren got up and left without so much as a glance at the princess. 

As he exited, he heard Kijima calling after him, but he ignored him. Soon enough though, Kijima caught up to him.

“Hey! Why are you being an idiot and leaving her behind like that?!” Ren felt his hand on his shoulder and roughly knocked it off as he continued to walk. 

“Why don’t _ you _ go back to her then? I’m sure she could use the comfort more than me. Besides, you made it blatantly clear back there that she’s exactly what you want.”

“Well, as much as I’d _ love _ to. It’s fairly obvious that she’s exactly what _ you _ want. And yet you’re walking in the opposite direction that she’s in.” 

Ren stopped walking. “Then why send her a drink?”

Kijima walked around him, turning so they could face each other. “Well, _ I _ needed a drink just _ looking _ at the two of you. I couldn’t hear you, but the conversation seemed a little too tense to be good. I _ am _ still a friend of yours. I haven’t talked with her since we first met. I know you don’t exactly like me, but I hope that you don’t hate me either. You seemed oddly serious about her so I decided to back off. But when I see you doing stuff like this, walking away from her when she’s in distress and leaving her open to guys like _ me, _ it really pisses me off.” 

“You don’t understand.” Ren snapped. “I… I said things back there I can’t take back. And… I don’t think I want to. I meant what I said, but… A part of me…” 

Kijima sighed and slung an arm over Ren’s shoulder. “Listen, you just need to relax a little and think about things later. I really meant what I said, I could use a drink and you could too. Come on. I know this quiet, dark bar that’s perfect for your gloomy attitude.” 

Unsure of what to say in response, Ren followed Kijima to wherever he was leading him.

~-~

A few drinks in and Ren still wasn’t relaxed. All he could think about was Kyoko and what he had said to her.

Kijima ordered a refill on their drinks and shot the bartender a wink. They were still near the border in an old and run down bar and the majority of the patrons were humans, including the staff.

“So, why _ do _ you hate the humans so much anyways?” 

Ren looked over to Kijima to see that despite his nonchalant tone, he was completely serious. Ren didn’t know if he could answer honestly. He wasn’t sure if he even knew the answer to that question. But looking back, it probably came from when he was young. He was ten and Yashiro was fifteen. They had been friends for some time, but Kuon had started talking to a few humans from the human kingdom. Kuon introduced them to Yashiro a few times but they were far from friends. Until one day, Yashiro went to hang out with them and didn’t come back. Kuon went out searching for him and found him stuck in a tall tree. They had all climbed up together, but the kids came down and left Yashiro there, removing the ladder. They taunted him. Telling him to use his wings and fly down. The look on Yashiro’s face struck up an anger inside of Kuon. This boy he had looked up to all his life suddenly looked younger than Kuon. He ran in and fought all of his supposed friends, angered at the fact that he had trusted them in the first place. He learned then that humans are never who they say they are. They can’t be trusted.

He turned his head back to his drink and took a sip.

“I just do. They’re not all they seem.”

“Okay, but have you ever fucked a human? Because I have a feeling you might be saying differently if you had.”

Ren looked at him with a blank expression. “No, I haven’t. Not everything is about sex, though, Kijima. Would sleeping with one help me understand them better? Would it make her love me more?”

“Her? Who said anything about one girl? There are _ multiple _ women out there ripe for the taking and you’re focused on one… Oh.”

Ren shook his head. Kijima was right. He was hung up one girl, a _ human _ girl. There were plenty of women out there… The bartender came back and asked if they wanted anything else. Ren opened up his mouth to speak, but quickly shook his head.

Kijima moved in closer to Ren, and put his arm around his shoulders.

“_ I _ will have another drink, and _ he _ will have you on a platter. _ Gold _, not silver.”

The bartender’s face turned red, but she bit her lip as she looked at Ren. 

“So, when do you get off?” Ren asked.

“In about ten minutes, and my house is right across the street from here.” 

“You a fairy?” She winked. 

“I guess you’ll have to find out.” Ren shot back. 

She ran her tongue across her front teeth. “_ Ooh _, mysterious. I like that. Well here’s to hoping that you are.” She said and went to go serve another customer.

With that, Ren downed the last of his drink.

Kijima slapped him on the back jovially. “See? Look at that! Minimal effort, that’s why _ I _ love humans. You’ll be getting over Kyoko and under _ that _ beautiful thing in no time!”

At the mention of Kyoko’s name, Ren seemed to snap back to reality. What was he doing? He hasn’t fooled around like this since he was a teen. The only person he wants to touch is probably crying her eyes out right now over what he said to her. He loves Kyoko. It doesn’t matter if she’s human or fae or the princess. She’s the only person he wants to be with. He pat Kijima on the shoulder as he started to stand up. 

“Do you mind taking care of the bill? Oh, and that young lady over there as well.”

Kijima smiled at him knowingly and lifted an eyebrow at him. “I definitely can’t complain about that tradeoff.”

As he was leaving, Ren stopped and looked over at Kijima. “You’re a pretty alright fr- person. Have fun tonight.”

“What was that?” Kijima asked, eyes lighting up curiously.

“I’m off.” Ren smiled at him and headed out of the bar.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _ The Princess does not know what to do next. _

Kyoko was still livid after her talk with Ren… _ Kuon _ … whoever he was today. She was even more annoyed that Hidehito, or maybe rather, Kijima, had interrupted them. She’d worked up the nerve to actually talk to Ren about it but their conversation felt horribly unfinished. They hadn’t actually _ resolved _ anything. All that Kyoko had learned was that Ren had some deep rooted hatred for humans that she doubted she could fix. 

They’d had a similar conversation before. Kuon was blaming her for the mistakes of her people and Kyoko couldn’t apologize for them, she could only try her best to right their wrongs. If Ren chose to hate her regardless, there was nothing she could do about it. 

She was angry about his irrational hatred and the insults that always cut deeper coming from him but mostly she was _ confused _ . She couldn’t understand him at all. If he hated humans so much why did he go so far to talk to her, to trick her into thinking that he _ was _ a human, to even say that he _ loved _ her. It didn’t make any sense at all. 

It was like Ren saw her as a friend and Kuon only saw her as another one of the humans that he hated. It wasn’t fair to her and he needed to figure out which person he was and stick with it. 

Kyoko had hung around the Darumaya for a while after Ren had stormed out. Kijima had shot her an apologetic smile, excused himself, and ran after Ren but the two hadn’t returned. After a while, Kyoko didn’t think that they _ would _ return. She stayed for a while after that until the Okami-san’s sympathetic smile started to feel more like pity than she would have liked.

Kyoko walked back to the castle slowly, brewing over her thoughts.

By the time she got to the front doors, where she was greeted by servants, she had calmed down enough to not be completely livid but she was still irritated by her unfinished business. She entered the foyer and was greeted by Sebastian. 

“Good afternoon, Princess Kyoko. You have a guest waiting for you in the drawing room.” The man smiled and bowed to her. 

Kyoko smiled back, albeit a bit confused. “Oh… who is it?” 

Sebastian winked. “It’s Shotaro Fuwa. I would have had him wait for you to return but since I did not know what time you would be doing so, I invited him to a few hors d'oeuvres.”

“That’s fine.” Kyoko nodded. “I’ll… see what he wants, then.” 

Sebastian smiled at her again and disappeared. Kyoko sighed and tried to wipe away any hints of anger from her face before she opened the door to the drawing room and walked inside. 

Sho was sitting on a couch, several empty bowls of chestnut pudding laid out in front of him. He looked up as Kyoko entered but continued to spoon more of the honey colored delicacy into his mouth. 

“Hey.” He greeted. 

Kyoko nearly rolled her eyes at the informal greeting and moved to sit across from him, tucking her legs underneath herself neatly. 

“Hello, Shotaro.” Kyoko greeted him in return. “What are you doing here completely unannounced?”

Sho looked up from his nearly empty bowl of pudding and raised an eyebrow at her. “I’ve been coming over unannounced my whole life. If you hear that I’m coming it’s probably because my parents said so.” 

“I guess that’s true. But even still, what are you doing here?” 

Sho licked some of the stray pudding off his finger and put down his, at last, empty bowl, turning his attention to her.

“What? You in a hurry to get me to leave?” 

“No.” Kyoko responded. She actually appreciated the familiar presence of Shotaro around her right now. Sure, he had hurt her in the past and she still hadn’t completely forgiven him but he had always been easy to understand. 

“Well, if you must know I just came to check on things. You kind of just left before when I found that man’s… Susumu’s journal. What did you find out after that?” 

Kyoko’s mouth dropped open in shock, she couldn’t believe that she had just left Sho without telling him anything when he had been so instrumental in helping her find out about her past. She hadn’t even thought of him afterwards either and now she felt terrible about that. 

“I’m so sorry!” She rushed to apologize. “You helped me so much and I completely forgot to tell you what I found out. You could have come to ask me after I left.”

Sho shrugged. “It’s alright, I wanted to let you work through that on your own.”

Kyoko was oddly touched for a moment but hurried to push the feeling down before she could figure out why. “So… basically Lory isn’t my father. Saena _ is _ my mother still but my _ father _ is actually a fairy.”

Kyoko was surprised at how easily she revealed her secret to Sho. She hated him, didn’t she? Then again, he was always so easy to talk to before. Old habits really were hard to break.

Sho’s eyes widened comically. “Oh shit, really? Your mother was fucking around with fairies?” 

Kyoko scowled. “_ Language _.” 

Sho rolled his eyes dramatically. “_ Whatever _. Still, that’s kind of wild. So, you’re what? Half fairy, half human?” 

“I guess.” Kyoko shrugged. “My father was a fairy spy and he tricked her into divulging secret information to him. My mother was mortified when she found out that she’d made such an embarrassing mistake and unfortunately for her that mistake manifested in the form of a baby. I guess that’s why she hated me so much.” 

Sho sighed. “Kyoko, your mother didn’t hate you.” 

“She did.” Kyoko insisted. The only memories she had of her mother were all the different ways that the woman had shown her hatred. “But it’s okay, it doesn’t bother me anymore.” 

An awkward silence ensued and Sho was quick to break it, huffing out a laugh under his breath. “So, you’re following in your mother’s footsteps?”

Kyoko was appalled to hear what Sho said. Follow in her mother’s footsteps…? What did that even mean?

“The whole kingdom has been buzzing about you and that fae prince or whatever.”

Kyoko was shocked to hear that the people had been talking about it so much that it had even gotten to Sho’s ears. They hadn’t even made the announcement that Sho and Kyoko were breaking off their engagement that long ago. Nobody had really said anything to her but she hoped that nothing would be misunderstood. 

“_ Kuon _.” Kyoko corrected. “His parents want us to marry. That’s all.”

Sho narrowed his eyes at her and reclined further into the couch. “Well, that’s not what I’ve been hearing. I heard that the two of you have been _ inseparable _ and on my way here this jeweler tried to sell me some ridiculous looking stone saying that fairy bought one just like it for you.” 

Kyoko sighed and it was filled with more frustration than she intended. “It’s complicated. We’ve been spending time together but it’s more to show that our two territories are united. It’s not like I…” 

“-like him?” Sho finished, scowl evident on his face. 

“I don’t like him.” Kyoko hurried to deny the fact, even as her face erupted into a fierce blush. 

“Am I supposed to believe that when you’re over there blushing like a schoolgirl who just got her first kiss?” 

Kyoko blushed even fiercer. 

Sho’s eyes widened and he looked scandalized. “You _ kissed him _!” 

“N-no he kissed… no I didn’t!” Kyoko stumbled over her words as she frantically tried to qualm Sho’s anger.

“Who else have you been sneaking around and kissing?” Sho demanded. “I hear all sorts of things, Kyoko, and Corn wasn’t the only person that’s been hanging around you. There’s some other guy, too. What about _ him _? Did you kiss him too?” 

Kyoko’s brain rushed to figure out who Sho was talking about. She only hung out with Ren at the Darumaya but had been people been talking about that too? Kyoko knew there were always eyes on her since she was the princess but she had no idea that people had been watching her every move. 

“_ Ren _ ? I… haven’t kissed him... we’re just friends.” She trailed off thinking about it. Since Ren and Kuon were the same person did that mean she _ had _ kissed Ren? But when he looked like Kuon? Her head was starting to hurt. 

“Well… I guess I _ did _ kiss him? Maybe? I’m not really sure… like I said everything is complicated, okay?” 

Sho’s expression turned visibly livid and he opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by the door opening. 

Two trumpeters came through the door blasting music as loud as they could. Kyoko sighed, knowing what would soon follow. Her father burst through the door with two servants carrying his overly long cape behind him. “Kyoko, my beloved daughter, I have brought you- Oh, hello Shotaro, I was not aware that you were here.” 

There was a slight raise in his volume as he peered over his shoulder where Sebastian stood, providing an innocent smile.

Lory let out a heavy sigh and turned back to Kyoko with as wide a smile as ever. “No matter. All will be well once I show you the gift I brought you. Come in.”

“Father, this isn’t the best-” Kyoko cut herself off when she saw who stood in the doorway. “H-Hikaru?”

Lory dragged Hikaru further into the room. “I know that the two of you didn’t make much leeway in your last interview. You were both shy, but now you can finally get to know one another. I shall leave you to converse amongst yourselves.”

As Kyoko’s father marched his way out of the room, the trumpeters began playing again. She felt a tinge of pity for the servants carrying her father’s huge cape. Once they had all left, Sebastian gave a final bow to the princess before shutting the door.

Hikaru stood awkwardly before he seemed to remember himself. He was practically stumbling until he found himself in what could be called a bow. 

“H-Hello, Princess Kyoko… And Lord Shotaro…”

Sho scowled, still angry from the conversation that had suddenly been interrupted. “Who the _ fuck _ are you?” 

Kyoko shushed him irritatedly and tried to give Hikaru a welcoming and apologetic smile. “Sorry, Hikaru, ignore him. It’s nice to see you again. You can… take a seat, I suppose.” 

“Thank you Princess. It’s been a long time… I hope it isn’t rude of me to ask, but why is your ex-fiance here during our _ marriage _ interview?”

“What do you mean, _ marriage interview _ ?” Sho demanded. “We were having a _ conversation _ and you just decided to barge in.” 

Kyoko decided not to correct Sho by saying that her father had practically shoved the poor boy in here. 

“It is a little… sudden for a marriage interview.” Kyoko stated warily. Sho in the same room with Hikaru at the moment didn’t sound like the best idea but it’s not like she could remedy the situation if she asked one of them to leave. Sho wouldn’t budge after the conversation that they’d just had and she didn’t want to be rude to Hikaru. 

Hikaru’s face turned red. “I’m so sorry for intruding. If the princess would prefer for us to meet alone, I’d be happy to return later.”

“I’m sitting _ right here _ .” Sho snapped. “As if I’d let the two of you be alone after the shit I just heard. I thought you said this guy’s name was Ren or is someone _ else _ on your list that I should be concerned about?”

“_ Shotaro _ .” Kyoko chided, growing irritated. “Stop saying things like that. I told you it’s _ complicated _.”

“Concerned?” Hikaru suddenly asked. “Why would someone who betrayed someone as lovely as the princess be concerned about her and her suitors?”

Kyoko didn’t miss the way Sho’s eye twitched before he opened his mouth to respond. “Oh? Are you a suitor then? My mistake, I thought one of the peasants was paying to have their son come up here to get the princess’ autograph. Are you even the legal age to get married yet?” 

“Alright, Shotaro, that’s enough!” Kyoko finally spoke up, raising her voice enough to get the attention of the two men in the room. “Stop antagonizing him. He’s a friend of mine. He already knows about the situation anyways. My father is just a fan of his but we weren’t intending to go any further with the marriage interview process, right?” 

Hikaru let out a polite chuckle. “Yeah, you see? Um, princess, the… situation? What situation?”

Sho rolled his eyes, sending another glare Hikaru’s way before turning his attention to Kyoko once again. 

“Yeah, what situation? The one where you’ve made out with half the available bachelors in the kingdom?” 

Kyoko sighed and willed the anger that flared up at the statement away. She had only just barely gotten Sho to stop antagonizing Hikaru, she didn’t want to start another fight. 

“It was _ one _ person!” She insisted. 

“He kissed _ me _.” She turned to Hikaru. “Do you remember what I said about that?” 

“Yeah, something about a guy taking your purity, right? You seemed pretty adamant on letting me know. Does this have to do with that Ren person Shotaro mentioned earlier?”

“It does, actually. In a strange way. He… isn’t who he says he is. I’ve been meeting with Kuon that’s true but I’ve actually been spending more time with this man I met at a small restaurant near the border- that would be Ren. It’s just… I found out that Kuon and Ren are sort of the same person?” 

Sho’s face contorted in confusion. “What do you mean_ sort of the same person _?” 

“They _ are _ the same person.” Kyoko clarified. “Kuon’s been using magic to disguise himself as a human and got closer to me in that form. I confronted him about it a little while ago. He admitted to it and everything, I’m just confused now.” 

Kyoko cast a glance at Hikaru. Was it alright to say all of this in front of him? Nonetheless, she had already let it slip. Besides, she had trusted him before with her darkest secret, so why not once more?

“So, Kuon… and Ren… are the same person.” Hikaru struggled to understand. “And Ren kissed you? Or Kuon did? And now you know they’re both the same person and you’re confused… Princess, it does sound a bit farfetched I’ll admit But if they’re the same, doesn’t that make your decision easier?”

Kyoko looked at Hikaru in confusion. “How is it easier?”

“What I mean is-” Hikaru began but quickly got interrupted.

“Wait,” Sho interjected, shaking his head. “So, do you like this Kren guy or not? Do you even want to marry him?”

Kyoko huffed in irritation. “It’s _ Kuon _. He’s the fae prince, Shotaro, you should at least know that. I don’t know how I feel about him. I think… I probably felt something for both Ren and Kuon but I felt that way for different reasons. He’s just as confused as I am about who he wants to be so it’s… complicated.” 

“Yeah, you keep saying that.” Sho scoffed. “I don’t see what’s so complicated about it. Just forget about him and move on. He lied to you about who he was. Didn’t you _ just _ tell me that your father did that to your mother? Isn’t it exactly the same?”

“I don’t know what Shotaro means when he says your father did the same,” Hikaru spoke up. “But… If you start cutting off people who have made a mistake… then Shotaro wouldn’t be here to give you this advice, right?”

Sho rolled his eyes. “Sure, but if someone lied about their entire _ identity _, you have no idea what they’re capable of or what other lies they could be telling. Don’t trust him. ” 

“Well, not to seem rude… But, would you tell another lie to the princess, Shotaro?”

“_ What _?” Sho snarled. 

“Well…” Hikaru said sheepishly. “If you were willing to hurt her again, that’s the only reason you would say such a thing… People make mistakes, but you seem convinced that Kuon is bad. Unless, you have another reason for siding so strongly against him?”

Kyoko looked between the two in confusion. Sho was glaring fiercely at Hikaru and Hikaru was looking back at him with wide, innocent eyes. It somehow felt like there was a conversation happening that she wasn’t a part of. 

“Oh, so you’re saying that it’s perfectly normal for someone who already knows Kyoko to pretend to be someone else to get closer to her? That’s not the tiniest bit suspicious to you? Or are fake identities something that’s more common to you?” Sho shot back.

“Well, we can only assume that he was using the disguise to get closer to her because that’s what the princess said. Princess, did you ever bother asking him and getting an answer as to why he was Ren in the first place?”

Kyoko shook her head. “No. He didn’t really give me an answer.” 

“If I were Kuon, I would want a chance to know you as a normal person, and not as a low fairy. Sometimes, your other identity is to keep the real you from getting hurt. Or, to keep you from hurting others, wouldn’t you agree Shotaro?”

“What exactly are you trying to get at, kid?” Sho questioned, irritation dripping from his voice. 

Kyoko was curious too, she wasn’t really sure what point Hikaru was trying to make. Obviously Kuon had a reason for doing what he did but she still didn’t know what that reason was.

“All this to say, Princess, if you had met me, and I told you I was a commoner, would you have given me anymore than a polite hello on the street?”

Kyoko frowned. “But… we met through the marriage interview.” 

“I-If we hadn’t… If we had, somehow or another, met each other, for the first time, on the street, and you presumed me to be a commoner, would I have gotten anymore than a polite hello, with maybe a mild conversation?”

“I… I suppose I wouldn’t have? I don’t have much time to talk with the people, not nearly as much as I want to anyway. Plus, it’s not like I would be allowed to marry someone who isn’t a noble. That’s the point of these marriage interviews.” 

“Exactly!” Hikaru said enthusiastically. “So, think about it. If you were a fairy, who had no chance at becoming a marriage suitor due to your low social status in the eye of the kingdom, wouldn’t you attempt to win the princess’ heart by other means?”

“I… suppose?” Kyoko responded hesitantly. She hadn’t really thought of it like that but some of the things that Ren had said to her earlier made her wonder if he really did feel inferior to humans.

“He still lied.” Shotaro added in.

Hikaru seemed prepared for another rebuttal when a small knock came from the door to the room. They all fell silent as Sebastian entered with a gracious bow.

“I am sorry to interrupt, Princess Kyoko. Hikaru’s carriage has arrived to return him home for the evening.”

Hikaru glanced out the window and then back to the princess. “The sun is already setting. I apologize for taking off so abruptly Princess Kyoko, but I must be on my way. It would be improper for me to stay here after dark” He gave a final bow to the princess once more before following Sebastian out of the drawing room.

Kyoko muttered out a quick goodbye to him before the door shut closed quietly. Sho sighed, relaxing into the couch once again. 

“You were really considering _ that guy _ as a marriage candidate?” He asked and even though he was facing up towards the ceiling, Kyoko could hear the scowl in his voice. 

“He’s not that bad.” Kyoko argued, feeling strangely self-conscious. “My father is the one who wanted me to meet him.” 

Sho turned to look at her and his mouth was upturned in disgust. “Kyoko. He totally hates fairies. You heard some of the things that he said.” 

“That’s just because you kept provoking him.” Kyoko sighed. “He was incredibly sweet when I first met him.” 

“Yeah, that too.” Sho snapped. “I’m not buying that innocent boy next door act. It made me want to vomit and all I’ve eaten for the last few hours is chestnut pudding.” 

“He’s _ nice _.” Kyoko insisted. “Maybe if you hadn’t started yelling at him the second you saw him, you would have gotten to know him better. You’d probably even get along.”

“Yeah, I doubt that.” Sho scoffed. 

Kyoko sighed, lost in thought. 

“Hey.” Sho called after a few moments of silence. 

“Yes?” Kyoko responded, turning her attention to him.

“Do you think I could get a few more bowls of chestnut pudding before I return home?” 

~-~

After Sho had left for home, and Kyoko had eaten supper, she headed up to her room tiredly.

The day had been emotionally exhausting and as she entered the room to find Chiori and Kanae sitting around and chatting amicably, she knew that she wasn’t going to be able to go to sleep just yet. 

She’d spent too much time not talking to her two best friends to even think of not updating them on how horribly confusing things had gotten recently. 

Kyoko shuffled into the room and collapsed dramatically onto her bed with a sigh. 

“Ugh.” She groaned. 

“What’s the matter this time?” Chiori asked sounding disinterested but Kyoko had known her long enough to know that if Chiori was making the effort to ask, she at least cared a little. 

“We heard about the commotion downstairs.” Kanae added. “Sho was here, wasn’t he? Did he say something? Or did he do something?” 

Kyoko shook her head, wishing that her problem could be as simple as that. “It’s about Ren.” 

“What about him?” Kanae prodded. 

“I went to go see him today to determine if he was really lying to me or not about his identity.” 

“Was he?” Chiori questioned, suddenly sounding very intrigued. 

“He was.” Kyoko sighed. “He admitted to being Kuon and using magic to disguise himself as Ren. And then we fought for whatever reason and he said that I was lying to him, too. We said a lot of hurtful things to each other but we were interrupted so now it feels weird and unfinished.” 

“Well, if it’s unfinished, why don’t you just go finish it?” Chiori asked.

“Obviously, it’s not that simple, Chiori.” Kanae butted in. “Do you want to see him again?”

“I… I don’t know. I suppose. Not just because I want to see him, but because I want to resolve whatever this is between us.” 

“Well then, what are you hoping will happen? Are you hoping it will be a happy ending, where the two of you can run off into the sunset? Or, do you just want it to end?” Chiori chimed in.

Kyoko hesitated. “I don’t know. I don’t know what I want. All I know is that he lied and I want to know why.”

Kanae placed a hand on Kyoko’s shoulder.

“Well, geez then you have to follow Chiori’s advice. The only way to find out why he did what he did, is to go and finish it. You have to talk to him again. No one’s saying you have to forgive him. But, for yourself, you should talk to him again, about all of it.”

Kyoko sighed. That was the only option that made sense. She needed to talk to him again and sort this out properly.


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _ An unlikely intervention takes place. _

Kuon had managed to avoid everyone on his way back to his room last night. The last thing he wanted was interaction with Yashiro or his father. Despite his ability to hide his true emotions, a trait which he was proud of, those two always seemed to see right through him. He laid down on his bed thinking about everything that had happened. His inability to come up with an answer left him lost in thought the following morning as well. It was all the same to him, besides, he had about an hour before his father or Yashiro would come in nagging him about work.

He loved Kyoko, that he was sure of. But what now? She had said hurtful things to him and he had returned the favor. How could he go back to her? What would he say? How would he act? 

While Kuon was deep in thought, he neglected to notice the figure entering his room. 

“Kuon?” He looked up to see Kuu entering the room with a quizzical look on his face.

“What is this I hear about you going out with Kijima and drinking yourself under the table?”

Kuon shot up from his position. Kijima had been letting his mouth go loose again hadn’t he? Kuon had assumed he would be much too busy at the home of that bartender to interfere in his personal life again. Yet, here his father was questioning him about his actions.

Before Kuon managed to respond, Kijima came bursting in his room with Yashiro in tow.

“Sorry, I’m late. I seriously owe you for that bartender, Kuon. She was  _ wild _ , I haven’t even slept yet but I’m here for you and I even managed to find some time for a bath beforehand.” Kijima’s bright smile dimmed as he noticed Kuu in the room already and he cleared his throat. 

“Oh, sorry sir. I didn’t realize you were here before me.”

Kuu opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by Kuon.

“Late? What do you mean late? Who invited you here? Who invited  _ any _ of you here?” 

Yashiro removed Kijima’s arm from around his shoulder and stepped forward. “Well, Kijima informed me that you were in a crisis. Of course, as your best friend I followed along with him. Now that I’m here, however, I see you stink of whiskey and beer, and your face is deeply troubled. So, either you could come clean and tell us what’s going on, or I’ll pry it out of Kijima myself.”

“Which wouldn’t be very hard because I’m  _ dying _ to talk about this.” Kijima chimed in, making himself comfortable on a chair off to the side of the room.

Kuon looked between Kuu, Yashiro, and Kijima. They were serious. He wasn’t going to get out of this without coming clean, and who knows how Kijima would twist the story if he got the chance to tell it himself. Kuon let out a deep sigh and moved to the edge of his bed. 

“Kyoko and I got into an argument yesterday.” 

Kuu sat down next to Kuon. “What happened?”

“After our talk yesterday, I was ready to tell her. I really was, but she came in and… she knew. She already knew I was Kuon. Or, that I was Ren I guess. And she started  _ accusing _ me of trying to deceive her. I hadn’t even known her as Kuon before I met her as Ren. Hell, I didn’t even know she was the princess… Anyways, long story short we both ended up saying some hurtful things to one another, and I don’t know where our relationship is right now.”

“Wait… Wait a minute. Kyoko? Do you mean Kyoko as in  _ Princess _ Kyoko?” Yashiro questioned with wide eyes and complete confusion. 

All attention switched over to Yashiro. Through everything that was going on, Kuon had just assumed that Yashiro knew what was happening. 

“Have you been sneaking off to the Darumaya everyday to meet Princess Kyoko? But, who’s Ren? And why does she think that’s you?”

“Ren is his alter ego. I don’t really get it but it seems like really kinky shit if you ask me.” Kijima quipped before Kuon could get a word in. 

“But I don’t believe anyone was asking  _ you _ , Kijima.” Kuon understood that Kijima really did have his best interests at heart. That didn’t make him any less annoying or bothersome though.

“So, you’ve been masquerading as Ren all this time and blowing off work to go and speak with the Princess?” Yashiro confirmed. 

Kuon shook his head. “No. That’s not it. You guys don’t understand.”

“Probably not.” Kuu finally spoke. “If you tell us though, we’ll be able to.”

“I care about Kyoko a lot. But she… She stopped seeing me as me all of a sudden when she found out that Ren was Kuon - me. All of a sudden I was a traitorous fairy? I knew I had to tell her the truth. I knew that she would find out eventually, but I also knew this would happen. I knew that she would no longer look at me as me and I’d just be this- this… whatever.”

“Lies always come back to bite you in the ass,” Kijima sighed. “That’s why when you’re asked questions you don’t want to answer by cute girls, the best method is to just shut them up with your mouth. Don’t lie. Never lie.  _ Seriously _ . A kiss will do, maybe some tongue if you’re feeling frisky. Assuming you know them well enough for them to be asking questions that you don’t want to answer.”

The room was silent for a beat before Yashiro spoke up.

“Wait, what did you mean by traitorous?” He questioned. “Why would she think you’re a traitor?”

Kuon shook his head. “Some nonsense about me tricking her just like her father did her mother. Because all fairies are traitors right? Fuck her and fuck humans.”

“Literally.” Kijima added cheerfully.

“Now son.” Kuu had that all too familiar serious tone in his voice. Kuon knew a lecture was coming his way.

“Humans aren’t nearly as terrible as you want them to be. I don’t have any idea where this hatred for humans stems from but you have got to stop seeing the worst in them. You love this girl. You’ve said as much yourself, and yet you push her away because of your unknown troubles. Talk to her. Let her in. You keep going like this and all you will end up doing is hurting yourself.” 

Kuu took in a deep breath. “I just want to see the happy boy I once knew.”

Kuon looked to his father. He wasn’t sure, but it looked like tears were forming in his eyes, but that would be ridiculous. He hadn’t seen his father cry since the passing of his grandfather. As quickly as his tearful eyes appeared, they vanished with a blink.

“Look, you obviously love her,” Kijima started, finally gaining the attention of the room. “I’ve seen it myself and the way you look at her is like pure ‘ _ I’d let her step on my balls _ ’ kind of shit. You can’t look at just anyone with that sort of look, it’s  _ special _ . And if it’s special you’ve got to just go for it.” 

“Go for it?” Yashiro echoed.

“Yeah! Go for  _ it _ !” Kijima said, raising his voice. Kuon wondered vaguely if the man was still drunk from last night. “Get the girl, fuck the girl, marry the girl! In that order!” 

Another moment of silence fell over the room. 

“P-Perhaps not in that exact order…” Kuu started.

Kijima snorted. “Well, how would you know that you wanna get the girl, let alone  _ marry _ the girl if you don’t fuck her first? You absolutely have to be fuck-compatible for a marriage to work out.” 

Kuu continued on, ignoring Kijima’s comments. “But, son, if you do love her, why restrain yourself from expressing it?”

Kuon didn’t bother answering. They wouldn’t get it. He couldn’t talk to them about it.

Yashiro looked around the room before interjecting suddenly. “Uh, Kijima, Kuu, do you mind letting Kuon and I talk in private?”

Kuu looked at Yashiro and nodded his head. He gave Kuon a pat on the shoulder and stood up from the bed.

“Come on, Kijima. We’re no longer needed. And you need to get some sleep.”

“I  _ do _ need some sleep.” Kijima groaned, pulling himself to his feet. “I think that I’m either still drunk or someone slipped me something because I’m having some seriously strange flashbacks of last night. And my balls are aching. So, goodnight everyone.”

When they had shut the door behind them, Yashiro sat on the bed next to Kuon. These last couple of months have really driven them apart. Yashiro could tell what Kuon was thinking even when he desperately didn’t want him to. But Yashiro and Kuon hadn’t really talked in months and he wasn’t sure just how well his best friend knew him anymore. 

“I don’t get it. The Kuon I know always goes after what he wants. You’re headstrong and too stubborn to take no for an answer. So, why aren’t you banging down her door right now? You  _ claim _ you love her.”

Kuon looked at Yashiro and couldn’t help but chuckle. He was right. This was unlike him. Or, rather, unlike the person he used to be. Or perhaps this is who he always was, and only Kyoko managed to bring it to the surface for all to see.

“Do you remember when you were fifteen? I had this group of humans I would crossover to play with everyday. And… I invited you to play with them…”

“Yeah, I remember,” Yashiro nodded. “It was fun getting to know them. Admittedly, I had a little bit of a crush on one of the… girls…”

“Fun? Yashiro, they left you stuck up in that tree for  _ hours _ . You were bawling and no one, not a single human came to help you.”

Yashiro paused as he was starting to understand. Kuon had invited Yashiro to play with these humans whom he had trusted. They not only betrayed him, but placed a platter of guilt on him as well.

“Yeah, I remember that day. It was pretty scary. If anything, I was more disappointed in myself. I just wanted you to think I was cool.”

“I never said sorry for that day.” Kuon repented. “I put you in danger. If- If I go after the princess… Humans could hurt all of you if I invite Kyoko in. Our territories would be joined because of the marriage. Humans would come and go as they please. There will be more of us for them to target. I don’t want to be the one to place that target on your back or any other fairy in Sylva.”

Yashiro looked at Kuon and, after a moment, broke out in laughter. Kuon was befuddled. What was so funny?

“Kuon, have you always been so stupid? You’re my best friend. I never blamed you for that day. I never even blamed the humans really. Look, we were kids. What they did wasn’t right, but at the end of the day they didn’t do what they did because I’m a fairy. They did it because they didn’t like me. You had been playing with them for weeks and they never so much as teased you. I was always kind of a killjoy even back then. But you were so happy when you played with them. All your troubles seemed to have melted away. I wouldn’t go through that day any differently if I had the choice.. And, as far as the rest of the fae are concerned, you would know a thing or two if you stuck around here long enough. Rumors have spread about you and Princess Kyoko for months now. People just want to see you happy, me included. Besides, the princess is far from against us. We can handle any troublesome humans that come our way.”

Kuon hadn’t noticed how much had spread about him and Kyoko. He wasn’t sure if he would be able to get rid of this grudge he’s harbored for so long, but he was at the very least, ready to try. He was done pushing her away. If Kyoko wanted him out of her life, she would have to try a hell of a lot harder.

“Alright, alright. Fine. But how the hell am I supposed to meet up with her? There’s no way she’s going back to the Darumaya.”

The door to the room suddenly burst open and Kuon looked toward the disruption in annoyance, expecting it to be the reappearance of Kijima with even more “wisdom” to share, but he was surprised to see his own mother standing there with her hands on her hips. 

“Kuon! Your father told me all about this business with Princess Kyoko! I want to yell at you for being such an idiot, since I  _ know _ I raised you better but time is everything with these sorts of situations so I can’t right now, but believe me I will when I get a chance!” She glared at him and her expression was filled with disappointment. 

“Uh… Mother? I- I already decid-” Kuon couldn’t help but stutter. His mother had always been a fearful woman.

Julienna just continued to talk as if he never said anything and the intense look in her eyes was scary.

  
“I cannot  _ believe _ that you would abuse magic in such a ridiculous way! Honestly, it’s like this place is full of idiotic heathens! What am I supposed to do!? Anyways, I have the perfect plan! I was going to save it until after Princess Kyoko agreed to marry you and we announced it to everyone but I suppose I’ll just have to use it now. Get dressed and start working on your apologies, we’ve got a busy week ahead of us.”


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _ The two realize that understanding each other is equal parts simple and difficult. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Late updates two weeks in a row? I am so sorry I have no excuse, I just have no concept of time. Anyways enjoy~ thank you guys for your kind comments and support. You make the extremely long journey that was writing this story feel worth it :)

Kuon was, despite his wishes, the Fae Prince. He had been trained as the Fae Prince from a very young age, and had to endure many challenges. He hated having to learn political speech and how to carry himself in front of a crowd. Yet all the same, those things were far more bearable than being forced to cook in front of his mother. She was, despite what many fae would say, relentless and strict. He had been going at it for hours, but nothing was right apparently. 

“Mother. Is this honestly necessary? I’m sure Kyoko would enjoy-” Kuon started on what was probably his hundredth complaint before being cut off by Julienna. 

“You ruined your chances to call her ‘Kyoko’ some time ago, young man. You will address her as the princess until she decides you no longer need to. As far as cooking a meal… it is more than necessary if you want to win her back.”

“I don’t think my terrible cooking will bring a dog to me, let alone Kyoko.” Kuon whined as he plopped himself down on the floor.

Julienna sighed and stood over Kuon with her arms crossed. He looked up at her, expecting an irritated face. Instead, Kuon was greeted to a playful smirk from his mother.

“Do you know what the first meal your father made for me was?”

Kuon shook his head as he watched her slowly sit next to him. A motion which surprised him, seeing as how he’s never seen his mother so much as kneel let alone sit on the bare floor.

“Omurice. And it was god awful. The absolute worst thing that I have ever tasted. And I could tell by the look on his face from the first bite that he hated the damn thing too.” Julienna paused as she fell into a fit of giggles.

“Yet, we kept eating it. The entire time we sat there in silence and ate that disgusting meal together, occasionally bursting out into laughter. He made it for me after our first real fight. It didn’t magically fix everything, of course, but I knew that he put in the effort for me. I knew that he tried time and time again to make the perfect omurice to try and win me back. And if Kyoko is half as smart as I think she is, then she will know just how much you care about her from eating whatever you try to put together in this kitchen, but you damn well have to  _ try _ .”

Kuon sighed as he leaned his head back. His mother and father at times could be almost gross in how much affection they have for one another, but they were clearly in love. A love he was ready to give to Kyoko, but one he wasn’t sure that she was ready to give back in return.

“That’s nice, mother. I’m glad you and father could work it out all out over some bad food, but… Kyoko isn’t going to just forgive me for calling her a self-centered fairy hating human and lying to her about my identity just because I make her some disgusting food. Even if I put my heart into it.”

Julienna raised an eyebrow at him. “Of course, she won’t. What you did was completely unforgivable to the point that even I have a hard time not wanting to hit you. And I  _ just _ told you to address her as the princess.”

“See? Even you think so. Unforgivable.” Kuon said, slightly irritated.

“If you were actually  _ listening _ to me,” Julienna snapped. “You would have heard me say that it didn’t magically fix everything. You need to make it up to her for the rest of your natural life. This is just to get her to  _ want _ to listen to you.” 

“Okay, let’s say she listens to me… What do I do? What do I say? What did father say to you?”

“Kuon, your father didn’t falsify his identity and repeatedly insult me.” Julienna deadpanned. “We fought because we had a disagreement about what flowers to grow in front of the house. He told me that I was right,  _ naturally _ . How would marigolds have looked against the moss color of the door? Honestly, that man has no sense of color coordination whatsoever.” 

Kuon sat there in shock of the revelation. Flowers. They argued over flowers.

“Surely there must have been a time when you and father had a more serious argument?” He pressed on, silently praying.

Julienna sighed. “Of course we did, Kuon. But there is nothing to say- Or rather nothing you  _ should  _ or  _ shouldn’t _ say during those times. It’s not something that you should practice. You should just say what comes naturally, what comes from your heart. Do you think that Kyoko loves you?”

Kuon looked at his mother in shock. He hadn’t thought about that. He knew he loved her, but what she felt about him… It just wasn’t something that he had wanted to even  _ think _ about the answer to.

“I don’t know… I’m not sure? I mean, how did you know that father loved you?”

Julienna sighed and glanced up at the ceiling as a small smile played on her face. “You just  _ know _ , Kuon. It’s a feeling you get when someone looks at you as if you’re their entire world and they can’t see anything else around them.”

“That makes absolutely no sense. I’ve never seen you look at father in that way or vice versa. I’m trying to understand but… You’re losing me here.”

His mother huffed and crossed her arms. “We absolutely  _ do _ look at each other like that! But fine- you want to know how I knew that your father loved me? He said ‘ _ I love you’ _ and I felt that he meant it. There’s your answer. Happy?” 

“Well, then there’s another problem. Even if Kyoko-  _ Princess  _ Kyoko does love me, she’ll never say it.”

“Love is not a spell, Kuon. It doesn’t need to be said out loud in order for it to be true. If she loves you, she’ll forgive you. If she doesn’t then, just to be clear, she’s the princess and you still need to spend the rest of your life making it up to her.”

He took one last deep breath before standing up and holding out his hand for his mother. 

“Alright. I’ll try, but I can guarantee you this will taste about as good as father’s cooking.”

  
  


~-~

After talking to both Sho and Hikaru as well as Kanae and Chiori, Kyoko was set on having a conversation with Ren. Or… Kuon. That part was still confusing to her. But she didn’t want to leave things on such a sour note. They had fought and said terrible things to each other but Kyoko still had questions that needed answers. She still didn’t understand what he did or why he did it. 

The problem was that she wasn’t exactly sure how to go about talking to him. Should she go to the Darumaya and meet him there as Ren? Or visit the Fae Territory and meet him as Kuon? And if she did go and meet him would he  _ want _ to talk to her or did he hate her now? 

There were too many questions swimming around in her head and Kyoko didn’t know what to do about any of it. She’d been laying on her bed most of the day, watching Kanae and Chiori take care of chores and bicker back and forth. They had been giving her space to think and while Kyoko appreciated it, she felt restless. She was sitting on all of these thoughts rather than actually voicing them and it was slowly driving her crazy. 

A knock on the door startled her from her thoughts. 

“Come in!” She called, and the attention of the three girls turned toward the door. 

It opened to reveal Sebastian and Kyoko frowned in confusion. She wondered if her father was sending for her, though he would rarely ever send Sebastian for something like that. 

“Excuse me, Princess Kyoko.” The man bowed. “I came to inform you that you have a visitor.”

Kyoko looked confusedly between Kanae and Chiori who wore curious looks of their own. 

“Do you know who it is?” Kyoko asked. She wasn’t expecting anyone to come by, especially not since Sho had just left the day before. 

Sebastian inclined his head meaningfully and Kyoko found herself almost fearful of who the visitor could be. “It’s the fae prince, Kuon Hizuri.” 

“...Kuon?” Kyoko echoed in shock. Her heart was beating rapidly all of a sudden and she quickly sat up from the bed. 

“Yes,” Sebastian nodded. “He requested an audience with you. However… I can send him away if you’d like?”

Kyoko shook her head as she stood but she felt so dizzy that she nearly sat down again. “No! No. I’ll just… be a moment. I need to get ready.” 

“Would you like for him to wait at the entrance or shall I accommodate him in the sitting room?” Sebastian questioned. Normally, he would never even ask and share the same hospitality with every guest that entered the castle. Kyoko couldn’t help but think that maybe Sebastian knew a bit more about the situation than he was letting on. He always did have a knack for picking up on things without needing to be told about them. 

Kyoko thought for a moment. “Have him wait in the entrance, please. I’ll be just a few minutes.” 

Sebastian bowed to her once again before taking his leave and closing the door behind him. 

“I can’t believe he actually came here, what is he doing here!?” Kyoko cried as soon as the door was closed. 

“Probably trying to make some half assed apology.” Chiori muttered, rolling her eyes. 

“It doesn’t matter what he’s here for,” Kanae rushed, snatching a coral colored dress from the closet. “You can’t go see him looking like this, hurry up.” 

The two handmaidens assisted Kyoko in getting ready and she let them. She was more than capable of doing it herself, but it would take time that she didn’t have at the moment. The dress that Kanae had picked out was one she hadn’t worn before but it fit her well and made her skin radiant against the bright color. Her hair was styled, cute shoes were placed on her feet, and she was ready to go. 

Kanae placed her hand on Kyoko’s shoulders once they were done and looked at her sternly.

“You wanted to talk to him, Kyoko. Here’s your chance. Say all that you need to say and don’t let him leave until you’ve gotten your answers.” 

Kyoko bit her lip nervously but nodded. 

“And if he still doesn’t give you those answers, then he’s not worth your time.” Chiori added from behind her as she secured Princess Rosa around Kyoko’s neck. 

“Okay. Wish me luck!” Kyoko said as she left the room. 

“You won’t need it!” Kanae called after her. 

Kyoko took a deep breath, steeling herself for the conversation that was about to happen and started down the stairs. She was instantly reminded of the first time she had met Hikaru and reached out to hold the bannister as she made her descent. 

As she began walking, she noticed Kuon wasn’t facing her. His back was turned from her direction and he seemed to be taking rather deep breaths. Halfway down the stairs, she paused and cleared her throat. He jumped and turned around, and for the first time in a while, they made eye contact. Kyoko’s body seemed to freeze and she found herself gripping very tightly onto the railing.

“Ky- Princess Kyoko. Hello- Hi, how have you been?” Kuon stuttered.

Kyoko noticed how nervous he seemed. It was actually one of the few times she’s ever actually seen Kuon stumble over his words. Before answering him, she began her descent down the stairs once again.

“I’ve been well. And yourself?” 

Kuon walked over to her as she reached the final steps and extended his hand towards her. Kyoko hesitated as she looked at his hand, but quickly moved past him as she stepped down onto the foyer.

Kuon looked down at his hand and turned to face Kyoko. “I have been… busy, to say the least.”

Kyoko stared at him for a moment before she sighed and looked away. “This is a rather impromptu visit, Kuon. I’m sure you’re aware that I don’t know how you do things in the Fae Territory but here- we announce our visits well ahead of time. It’s the polite thing to do.” 

Kuon looked at her for what felt like a long time, and Kyoko was expecting a retort of some sort. However, to her surprise, he bowed his head in her direction.

“You are absolutely correct Princess Kyoko. In the future, I will do my best to uphold your customs.” He raised his head to look at her. “However, if you could be so kind, I would much prefer it if you addressed my home as its proper name.”

Kyoko smiled thinly. “Of course. I’m not sure how things are done in  _ Sylva _ , then. Especially, as those who are in the wrong tend to apologize for their actions rather than barging in on others unexpectedly and acting as though they have nothing to apologize for, here in the kingdom.” 

“That brings me to my reason for coming all this way to see you. I have a… proposal of a sort. Could you- Would you accompany me on a short trip outside of your kingdom?”

Kyoko sighed, dropping the strange formalities that they were both keeping up. “Why should I do that, Kuon? You’ve made your opinion of me crystal clear. Meanwhile, I don’t understand  _ you _ at all.”

Kuon seemed almost relieved by her change of speech. “I want you to understand me. Please? I just want to talk to you tonight. After that, I will leave you alone, if that’s what you want.”

Kyoko thought for a second, wanting to reject it, but this opportunity was exactly what she had been wanting. So, even though she didn’t want to have this conversation now that she was actually being faced with it, she would never forgive herself if she left things here. 

“Fine.” She acquiesced. 

A grin immediately found its way on Kuon’s face, but disappeared just as quickly. Even Kyoko could tell that he was biting the inside of his cheek, though. He walked towards the front castle door and held it open for her. She stepped out, and at the bottom of the castle steps stood a brown speckled horse. She turned to look at Kuon as he exited behind her.

“When was the last time you rode around on a horse’s saddle?” He smiled at her.

“I… I don’t remember. Not since I was a little girl at least. I never go horseback riding but it was a part of my training so the Horsemaster came by with this big white stallion named Bo. I used to be terrified of him until I was convinced to feed him some carrots and realized he wasn’t that big and scary after all.” Kyoko couldn’t help the nostalgia that welled up inside of her looking at the horse but she frowned when she realized she had said too much. 

Kuon’s smile turned slightly mischievous. A look she hadn’t seen him wear in a long time.

“Well, do you still remember what you were taught?” 

“Don’t hold the carrot for too long or your hand might get chomped.” Kyoko replied immediately. That had been her biggest fear in feeding the big animal. 

“I- I meant about riding.” Kuon said with a puzzled look on his face.

“Oh!” Kyoko gasped and her cheeks reddened with embarrassment. “Yes, I should still remember enough.”

Kuon’s mischievous smile turned into a grin as he started down the steps. “Well, let’s head to  Sylva, you can take the lead.”

He climbed onto his horse and extended his hand to her. “Her name is Mio. She’s really sweet so no need to be afraid.”

“I’m not afraid of her.” Kyoko stated, reaching out to stroke the horse’s hide. “She’s beautiful, but… I think I’d rather you lead. She’s your horse.” 

~-~

They rode into Sylva garnering attention from a few citizens as they went. Kuon and Kyoko both waved happily to them, but Kyoko was glad they had taken a less populated route on the outskirts of the city and the citizens that they were passing were mostly farmers. A wave of nostalgia had washed over Kyoko when she had gotten on the back of Mio to ride there. It reminded her of when her training had first begun and Lory would take her on rides around the garden. She had held onto him for dear life, and instinctively, had done the same to Kuon. He slowed down as they had reached a set of fae stables and hopped off of Mio. Kyoko followed his lead as he tied Mio up to the side of the stables near food and water.

“So… where is it that we’re going exactly?” Kyoko questioned, looking around curiously.

“Right around the corner here. Into the Sylva Garden.” Kuon walked around the corner of the stables and disappeared. Kyoko hesitated before following behind him.

As Kyoko rounded the corner, she saw Kuon standing in front of a small dining table. There were two seats on either side and two candles placed on top of the table. She slowly approached and noticed that there was a meal layed out, which, admittedly, didn’t look all that appetizing. The sun was hanging low in the sky, giving everything a slightly romantic atmosphere. As she was almost to Kuon, her attention shifted over to him. In his hand was a small bouquet of blue flowers with large petals. She recognized the flowers as the ones she had looked at when he had showed her the greenhouse. It felt like years ago since then.

He stepped aside as she reached him and pulled out the nearest chair, presumably for her to sit in. 

Kyoko stared at him with wide eyes. “Kuon, what is this?”

“I needed to talk to you. And… I wanted to show you that I am serious. Oh, these are for you by the way. The gardener said they’re called orchids.” He extended his hand holding the flowers toward her in a surprisingly graceful manner.

Kyoko’s eyes studied the table once again before she looked up to meet Kuon’s gaze. He seemed sincere about whatever this was so Kyoko hesitantly took the flowers from his hand and sat down in the chair that he had pulled out for her. 

“I can’t believe you remember that these were the flowers I was looking at before.” Kyoko marveled studying the rich blue and purple hues of the petals. They looked ethereal, like the night sky just after dusk. If she didn’t know any better she’d even say that they were beautiful enough to possibly contain the same magic as Princess Rosa. 

Kuon sat down in his chair before responding. “I guess I pick up on a few things here and there. A-Are you hungry? I made omurice for the two of us.”

Kyoko turned her attention to the pile of food sitting on a platter in front of her. It was clearly burned from what she could see on the outside. The top was mounted with what looked like an excessive amount of ketchup and the odor wasn’t all too appealing either. She looked up at Kuon and saw him biting his lip as he stared at the pile of omurice as well.

“I guess I’m a little hungry… ” Kyoko trailed off, not wanting to be rude. She knew her manners and refusing food in any situation unless one in which she could have been poisoned was not polite at all.

Kuon smiled and proceeded to share out an equal portion for the two of them onto their plates. He looked at her as she dug her fork into the hard layer of omurice, making sure she picked a piece with quite a bit of ketchup on it. She brought it to her mouth and the foul taste immediately hit her. If she didn’t know any better she would say she was being poisoned. Kuon then picked up his fork and ate a part of his helping as well. Based off the look on his face, he found the food just as disgusting as she had. He made eye contact with her and began chuckling.

Kyoko looked at him in confusion at first before breaking into a slight giggle of her own.

“This is really awful isn’t it?” Kuon said between chuckles.

“I wasn’t going to say anything… but it really is.” Kyoko laughed. “Where did you get this food, anyway?”

“I made it. Wasn’t that great of an idea…” His laughter began to die down and he looked at Kyoko.

Her eyes widened comically large. “You  _ made _ this? I had no idea that you cooked.”

He flashed his usual smile in her direction. “I don’t.” 

His mind seemed to wander off until he looked at her again. “You know, I missed this.”

“You missed what?”

Kuon seemed to think about her question before he answered her. “I don’t know. Us? I guess. Just hanging out with you and seeing you laugh. I really… I messed everything up, didn’t I?”

“Kuon...” Kyoko sighed. She had missed it too. The two people that she had grown close to had suddenly disappeared from her life. It was like experiencing twice the loss of the same person. “I know we said some nasty things to each other but I just can’t understand why you did all of this. It doesn’t make any sense to me. Why did you lie to me and let me believe that you were Ren for so long?” 

“You… were never supposed to see Ren. Or rather, I wish you never met the real me. Ren was a way for me to escape from Sylva for a bit. I got to be…  _ normal _ in every aspect of the word. And when I met you, as Ren, I had no idea who you were and I didn’t really care. We both had something to hide, I felt, and that made me like you all the more. You were different and magnetic. But then you met Kuon- me. I found out who you were and I couldn’t just tell you that this person you knew and were… starting to trust and  _ like _ wasn’t real. I just… didn’t want to hurt you. But I ended up hurting you even more in the process, and for that I am truly,  _ deeply _ sorry.”

Kyoko shook her head. “When I was with you as you are now, I was reminded of Ren, and when I was with Ren I was always reminded of you. You weren’t magically a different person just because your appearance changed, Kuon. Ren isn’t real, he’s still  _ you _ . You didn’t have to tell me about him if you didn’t want to but you could have met me at the Darumaya as Kuon whenever you wanted. I’ve been thinking about this ever since I found out the truth and I can’t find the answer to it. Why did you hold my friendship with Ren so highly?” 

“You… liked Ren. And not just as a friend. He was someone you could  _ talk _ to. Like, the way my mother could only confide in my father. You told him things Kuon would never get to hear. Whether that’s because I’m the Fae Prince or simply because I was a fairy, I don’t know. I kissed you as Kuon, but all the emotion I felt at that time, and the emotions I’m sure you were feeling too were not for Kuon, but for Ren. Tell me that isn’t so?”

Kyoko could feel the blush blooming on her cheeks. “I don’t know what I felt for you, Kuon. And I certainly don’t know what I felt towards Ren. All of it is mixed up now and jumbled. I don’t know how to even begin to sort it out. Ren  _ was _ a friend to me and you were a friend as well. I just don’t think that I  _ can _ sort this out, so I can’t go back to how things were before.” 

“And I don’t want you to.” Kuon said as he leaned forward. “The last thing I want is to go back to how things were before. I don’t want to keep half my life from you anymore. I know you didn’t want to hear it that day at the Darumaya, but it is the truth. I… have strong feelings for-” 

Kuon cut himself off and took a deep breath. He glanced down at the omurice left on his plate and made purposeful eye contact with Kyoko.

“I love you, Kyoko. Not as Ren. Not as Kuon. Just me. I love you, and I want you to look me in the eyes and tell me you feel nothing for me.”

Kyoko’s mouth fell open in shock. Of all the things she was expecting to hear from Kuon today… that had certainly not been one of them. 

“I…” Kyoko began unsteadily. She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “Of course, I care about you, Kuon.” 

“You care about me? Yashiro cares about me. Kijima cares about me. And I’m happy to know you care about me as well. But… I don’t want you to only care about me. I don’t want to go back to being your friend. I need to hear you say it, Kyoko. Either you love me or you don’t.”

Kyoko swallowed thickly and turned her gaze to the wood of the table, beginning to bounce her leg up and down nervously. 

She’d never truly confronted how she felt about Ren or Kuon before and now that she was being forced to do so on the spot, she felt particularly overwhelmed. From the very first time that they had met, Kyoko had felt strangely comfortable around Ren, he had been prickly towards her but he’d still gone out of his way to comfort her and make her feel better. That was what she liked the most about him, being with him was easy. It wasn’t complicated by her status or position, they were just friends. With Kuon, he had been even more rude to her when they first met but over the time that they had gotten to know each other, she had understood his personality and being with him tended to bring something new and exciting. They had fun together. 

Kyoko would be blatantly lying if she said she hadn’t ever seriously considered the idea of marrying Kuon. Despite the political value of their marriage, he had been in her head ever since the idea of a marriage interview was brought up once again. She hadn’t really thought too deeply about what that had meant. What  _ any _ of it meant. She hadn’t even allowed herself to think that she would like for Kuon to kiss her again. But she couldn’t deny wanting that either. 

Everything had been so complicated in her brain when Ren and Kuon were two different people and she hadn’t ever fully realized why. Of course, she would have mental conflict if she had feelings for two different people at once. And now that they were actually the same person… there wasn’t any more conflict. The only thing holding Kyoko back from acknowledging her feelings was herself. 

“I…” Kyoko drew her gaze up from the table and steadily met Kuon’s gaze. It was now or never. “I’ve been trying to understand why finding out that you were also Ren bothered me so much. It’s stupid now that I’ve realized it. It’s because it ruined any excuse I had to keep denying the feelings that were growing inside of me.” 

A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. “I love you.” 

She shyly looked up at Kuon, almost afraid of the expression that would be on his face. As she looked up, however, his face was plastered with a comically wide grin. 

“I’m sorry what was that?” Kuon said as he leaned in.

Kyoko scowled. “You heard me. And even if you didn’t, I’m not saying it again, too bad.”

“Well, if you don’t say it again, I might have to confirm my own suspicions with physical intimacy. I’m not sure which you’d prefer, but I know which one I’m looking forward to.”

Kyoko gasped, completely scandalized. “You will do no such thing!” 

“Well, I don’t know, I kind of kissed you on the spot before and at that time you didn’t even love me. The chances of you stopping me now are-” Kuon paused with an overdramatic gasp. “Unless of course you were thinking of something else. How scandalous Kyoko, so unlike you.”

“I wasn’t thinking of anything vulgar!” Kyoko shouted in embarrassment. “Besides, won’t you just do what you want regardless of whether I repeat myself or not? What’s the point?” 

Kuon smiled as he leaned in towards Kyoko. “Well, teasing you is kind of the point, don’t you think?” 

Kuon pushed a stray lock of hair behind Kyoko’s ear. She started to look away but he softly yet firmly held onto her chin to direct her eyes on his. He began leaning in even closer, lowering his eyes to her lips and Kyoko nearly fell backwards out of her chair in shock. 

“Okay! I love you! Stop!” 

Kuon fell back into his chair full of laughter. Kyoko could feel her face getting red of embarrassment and anger as he fell into a cackle.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry for laughing, but you’re just really cute when you’re flustered. It makes you look kind of like a chipmunk.”

Kyoko could feel herself pouting and it only made her more irritated. She sighed and purposefully changed the subject. 

“Well, if we’re being totally honest with each other now, I have something to tell you as well.” 

Kuon settled himself down and fixed himself in the chair to properly look at her. 

“Go ahead, tell me anything.”

“Well,” Kyoko cleared her throat. “I found out recently that the king is not my biological father. He’s actually… my uncle.” 

“You’re… uncle? What? Then… your mother and King Lory weren’t married?”

“No.” Kyoko shook her head. “They were only siblings. My mother had a secret lover that was actually a spy from one of the rogue fae groups that have disbanded now. He was a fairy.” 

Kuon said nothing in response. His brain was processing the information, Kyoko guessed. 

“So, when you said I might be like your father… You didn’t mean- Wait. You’re… half fae?”

“I’m half-fae.” Kyoko confirmed. “Born to a human mother and a fairy father. What a strange fate for the future leader of the kingdom.” 

“Fate? I feel like it’s one of the best things to happen to that kingdom.” Kuon said with confidence.

“It doesn’t feel like a great thing at all, Kuon. Especially not when it means that my legitimacy to the throne is in jeopardy. How can I even call myself the princess when I’m not the king’s daughter and my real father was a fae, and not just any fae, but a traitor.”

“Legitimacy? I thought the king’s son was exiled? That makes you the…-” Kuon’s voice trailed off as he seemed to look through Kyoko.

He chuckled suddenly and looked back up at Kyoko.

“You know, is it really that bad being part fairy?”

Kyoko looked at him strangely. “Of course, it is. I have none of the actual benefits of being a fairy and all of the negatives. How would you feel if you suddenly found out that you were part human?” 

Kuon suddenly burst out into laughter, almost maniacally. Kyoko looked at him, clearly puzzled as to what was so funny.

“Kyoko,” Kuon started as his fits of laughter began dying down. 

“You really have no idea what you are even  _ saying _ do you? To be part human would be the dream of half the fae inside of Vicinia. I may have a distaste for humans, but at least I know what it is, and that it’s there. But you, you’re blind to your own prejudice against the fae people. I love you, Kyoko, and I think you’ll make a fine queen one day. But unless you let go of this feeling of conflict against your fae side inside of you, you can forget about whether or not you can legitimately rule, because I personally wouldn’t want you on the throne.”

The words stung like salt in a wound and Kyoko fought down the instant need to defend herself. 

“I do not have anything against the fae, Kuon. I apologize if I’ve said something insensitive that offended you. Up until a short while I thought that I knew who I was and I was comfortable in that but it’s like the rug has been ripped out from under me. I’ve told you already that I’m trying to learn when I make mistakes, you don’t have to attack me for them. Just let me know when I’ve made them.” 

“Kyoko, I wasn’t attacking you. I just need you to know the views of me and my people if you were to take the crown as you are right now. I can’t… tell you how to fix it. I’m still going through the same struggle when it comes to my duty and my outlook on humans. But the first step, is admitting to it. If you keep denying the influence your upbringing has had on you, and I keep denying my feelings towards humans, our two kingdoms are going to have a sad future.”

“I’m trying.” Kyoko sniffed. This subject always made her emotional. “I can’t be a perfect queen but I want to try. I know that I’m ignorant about a lot of things but I’m trying to educate myself.” 

“I know.” Kuon reached out his hand to lay over Kyoko’s.

“But, what we really need right now, is to take our time and work through our struggles before jumping any further into things. Don’t you agree?”

“Yes, I think we need to take things slowly.” 

Kuon nodded his head, seemingly to himself, and proceeded to stand up. He extended a hand to Kyoko. 

“Shall I bring you home?”


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _ The two reflect on their personal conflicts. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On schedule, this time! Happy Valentine's Day!

Days had passed since Kyoko had last seen Ren… _ Kuon _. That was still taking time to get used to. As always, long conversations with Kuon left her with a lot to think about and she had been using the time away from him to do just that. She was actually embracing her duties as a princess, though the title still didn’t sit well on her mind. 

She had researched further into the history of the humans and fae, looking closely at the specifics of the treaty that had been created between the two territories. Then, she had looked into the actual laws put in place for the fae living in the kingdom and was surprised to see that only things like basic rights were being covered. It was definitely something that she would need to look into if she ever became the queen. 

But starting today, Kyoko wouldn’t have any time at all to look into things. Maria, Lory’s granddaughter, was visiting for the weekend. Maria had grown up with her father on the outskirts of society, where they had been banished to. She’d just turned eight years old but she was not your average little girl. Maria didn’t like most people, and made her distaste of people _ very _ apparent. Kyoko was lucky to be one of the people Maria not only tolerated, but actually liked. And Kyoko absolutely adored her, so her visits were always welcome. 

She waited in the foyer for Maria to arrive. Every year when Maria would come to visit, Kyoko would welcome her with a special doll made from one of the eccentric vendors in town. Kyoko wasn’t entirely certain why, but on her first visit, after her mother passed away, Maria had been drawn to the strange little things. The doll that she had found this time was carved from wood with detailed paintings all over the body. Kyoko could never tell what the dolls were actually meant to be, but Maria loved them all the same.

As the door began to push open, Kyoko suppressed the smile that was itching to appear on her face. Sebastian moved to the side allowing Maria to enter the foyer. She walked towards Kyoko with the grace of any princess. She would never know for sure, but Kyoko had assumed that either Maria’s mother or father had trained her, at least a little, in how to present herself when she came to visit Vicinia. As she got closer, Kyoko held out the doll to Maria, who ignored it at first.

“Kyoko, I heard you’ve been making a real fool of yourself lately.” 

Kyoko lowered her arm and frowned in confusion. “Oh… have I?” 

“No need to act dumb.” Maria snapped, resting her hands on her hips. “Grandfather tells me everything in the letters he writes. Well, almost everything. He refused to tell me why you would be so foolish as to try and abandon your position.”

Kyoko balked at the sudden mention of her biggest dilemma. Somehow, she hadn’t been expecting that to come up at all. It didn’t seem like the kind of thing that Lory would tell Maria. 

“I-well,” She stuttered. “It’s just that-”

“Don’t even bother. Today is no longer about me, but rather you, and your idiocy. First, I will take this,” Maria said as she grabbed the doll from Kyoko’s hand. “And second, you will walk with me in the garden and explain to me why it is that you believe yourself to be inferior to the crown.”

Without getting a response from Kyoko, Maria turned on her heel and made her way to the front door.

Kyoko, left speechless, had no choice other than to follow her.

~-~

Kuon needed some time to think, and his place of peace had always been the Darumaya. At least, it had been since he started going there as Ren. But today, he decided, he wasn’t going to hide behind Ren any longer. It wasn’t easy for him to enter the human kingdom - Vicinia, without his usual shield of Ren, at least not without a proper invitation. Nonetheless, he can’t claim he really knows the humans unless he interacts with them as himself. 

He walked towards the Darumaya and took a deep breath before entering. As he looked around he got a few side glances from people, but otherwise no one seemed to pay him any mind. As he made his way to his usual spot he locked eyes with Okami-san. 

She smiled warmly at him as he sat down in his usual seat. 

“Hello, Prince Kuon. Two bowls of miso soup today? Or just one?”

Kuon could feel the heat rushing to his cheeks. He knew Okami-san was no fool, but it didn’t make it any less embarrassing. He gave her a playful smile and shook his head.

“No, thank you. Not today. I’m just here for a drink of water and to meet the people.”

Okami-san nodded her head and headed into the kitchen just as Kuon heard his name being called from the opposite end of the room. Before he could turn around to look at who called him, an arm was suddenly wrapped around his shoulder.

“Kuon! Fancy seeing you here! Been a while, right?”

Kuon sighed as Okami-san placed a glass of water in front of him. He took a long sip before turning to look at Kijima who had sat down beside him. 

“It hasn’t been long enough. What are you doing here?”

“Oh, well, you know,” Kijima grinned, glancing around the restaurant. It was a bit later in the day then when Kuon usually met Kyoko, so the lunch rush had come in and it was fairly busy. “I’ve been coming here a lot recently. Figured that maybe I’d get lucky and catch the princess here all alone.” 

Kuon almost comically spit his water out at the mention of the princess. Before rushing to anger, he took a moment and quizzically looked at Kijima.

Kijima stared at him for a second before breaking into laughter. “Relax, tough guy. There are plenty of princesses, I wasn’t talking about her majesty.” 

Kuon held back a chuckle. “‘Plenty of princesses’, huh? Like who?”

“Um… like…” Kijima scratched behind his head as he thought. “Okay, fine, maybe I was talking about Kyoko. Can you blame me though? I can’t even _ look _ at her?” 

“You’re entitled to look, just as I am entitled to ban you from Sylva. Or imprison you.”

“Alright, _ alright _ .” Kijima sighed, raising his hands in surrender. “I have no plans to woo Kyoko, although I think you’re just threatened because you know that I _ could _. Unfortunately, I have other issues to deal with right now.”

“The princess is not a mere person to be wooed, Kijima. And, how important are those issues, because I might have a proposition for you.” Kuon said as he raised an eyebrow at Kijima.

“Well, _ apparently _ , while _ very _ intoxicated I agreed to be some woman’s plaything. Hence the stepping and the strange soreness I mentioned before. She’s insane, but I guess I’m sort of into it. I don’t think her husband would like me very much though, but you never know. Anyways, what sort of proposition? Usually the only kind of propositions I hear are for sex. Are you finally offering that threesome with the princess you mentioned before?” 

Kuon had no words. He stared at Kijima, unblinking, for what felt like much too long. As the rage in him bubbled up, he had to remind himself of who he was talking to. It was Kijima. When it came to Kyoko, at the very least, Kuon knew he wasn’t a threat.

“As much as I hate to admit, I don’t know the people of Vicinia well. I’m… what was it Yashiro called it? Broadening my horizons? Anyways, you’re always here and always so nosy I figured you must know the people here a great deal. I guess I’m asking you to show me around. Introduce me to some people.”

“What? Nonsense! You’re a bit rough around the edges but you’re a real charmer!” Kijima cried, knocking Kuon roughly on the shoulder. “I bet the human ladies would go crazy for you, with barely any effort on your part. They’d be climbing all over you if you dropped the constant _ I hate everything _ look on your face. Human or fae, women _ love _ a man with power.” 

“Why must your mind always go to the more vulgar option? I’m simply asking you to help me… be more sociable with _ every _ human. And _ not _ in a sexual manner.”

Kijima’s mouth dropped open. “_ Oh _. I see, okay. Well… just be open, socialize. Strike up a conversation! The humans here like you pretty well, I’ve heard quite a few people talking about your outing with the princess- you know, as Kuon, at the festival. You made a good impression already so just… talk to them. You talk to me all the time, it can’t be that hard.” 

“Those were the princess’ friends, not mine. And talking to you is simple. Ignore half of what you say and try not to punch you in the face. No, I can’t do it. You have to be my catalyst. Introduce me to someone.” Kuon sighed, thinking of a way to put this in terms that even Kijima would understand.

“I- You could be my political wingman. So to speak.”

“You do realize that the princess doesn’t actually _ know _ half of the people she speaks to, right? They aren’t _ all _ her friends, you know?” Kijima said, rolling his eyes. “Besides, talking to other people is basically the same thing. Just ignore half of what they say and pretend to be interested!” 

“I was being a tad hyperbolic, Kijima. I know that the princess isn’t_ actually _ friends with…- That’s besides the point. Are you going to help me or not?”

Kijima sighed dramatically and stood up from his stool. “Fine. But you’re gonna owe me. This is putting a damper on my plans for the afternoon. Come on, let me show you how to interact like a normal human being.” 

Kuon stood up as he muttered under his breath. “Since when have we ever been fucking humans?”

Kuon waved a quick goodbye to Okami-san as he followed Kijima outside of the Darumaya.

~-~

It was a nice day for walking around the gardens. The sun was shining, there was a cool breeze blowing through the air, and the flowers in the garden were beginning to bloom with the coming spring. 

Kyoko was walking with Maria through the castle gardens. She hadn’t been spending much time there lately, they reminded her of the fae gardens. And the fae gardens reminded her of Kuon and how much she wanted to see him. Also, the castle’s collection of flowers weren’t even slightly comparable to the fae’s.  
  


“You know, sometimes I miss the castle gardens when I’m back home. It’s always so pretty and well kept.” Maria stopped walking as she leaned towards a group of red flowers.

“You could try taking some flowers from here and replanting them at home.” Kyoko suggested brightly. “That way you could make your own miniature castle garden.” 

“It’s such a shame that they’re wasted on someone who can’t appreciate them. Kyoko,” Maria turned to look at the princess. “Would you care to explain to me what’s been going on with you lately?”

“Um… nothing in particular.” Kyoko responded lightly. She hoped that she’d be able to get away from the impending conversation but it seemed that there would be no such luck. “Why do you ask?” 

“And to think. How can I proudly call myself your niece when you’re acting so disgraceful? You _ are _ the princess. Don’t let trivial matters hinder you from-”

“They’re not trivial!” Kyoko blurted out.

Maria paused. Her arms were folded and her brows were deeply furrowed. Kyoko knew her well, and she knew Maria wouldn’t budge until Kyoko told her everything.

Kyoko sighed in defeat and moved to sit on a nearby bench. Maria followed her lead and sat down next to her. 

“It’s not… _ trivial _. How can I dare to call myself the princess when my claim to the throne is invalid?” 

“Invalid? Kyoko you’re not making any sense.” Maria said, clearly frustrated. “Your father loves you, the people of Vicinia admire you, and you’re a natural born leader. Which part of your claim is _ invalid _?”

“All of it!” Kyoko cried. “Lory isn’t my father. My _ real _ father is a fae and a spy for some rogue fairy group. I’m _ half-fae _ . I have no legitimate claim to the throne at all, Maria. _ You’re _ the one that deserves it.” 

“N- No claims to the throne? Kyoko, even if you aren’t Lory’s daughter, my father gave up the throne long ago. Saena would’ve been next in line, and with her gone… It’s your turn, Kyoko. I have no right to even petition for the crown as things are now.”

Kyoko shook her head in distress. “It’s not fair. It’s not fair at all. You and your father were forced to live outside of Vicinia just because he chose to be with a fae woman and had a half-fae daughter. How can I feel anything but guilt wearing the crown but being guilty of the same crime?” 

“Guilty…?” Kyoko could almost practically see the wheels turning in Maria’s head. “Do you think my father was wrong for choosing my mother, Kyoko? You see it as a crime that they fell in love? And what about me? Is the fact that I exist a _ crime _?”

Kyoko’s mouth dropped in shock. “N-no! Of course, that’s not what I’m saying! I-” 

“So… what? You think you don’t deserve the crown because your father was a spy? Or is it simply for the fact that you think you’ve _ soiled _the royal name with your fae blood?” 

Maria was standing now and she stared Kyoko down as she crossed her arms across her chest.

“I…” Kyoko stuttered, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. “I don’t… fae aren’t allowed to-” 

“My father… He gave up the crown because of people like you.”

Kyoko was stunned into silence. Tears sprung up to her eyes and coated her eyelashes with wetness as the weight of what Maria said sunk in. 

“Maria…”

“No, Kyoko. I thought you were better than that. My mother… she was a fairy. All the same, my father loved her and treated her as an equal. He wanted to be with her more than anything. So he chose her. He chose her knowing the consequences. You, and the people of Vicinia, don’t care about anyone but yourselves. You’re so preoccupied with your own prejudices that you didn’t even stop to realize you had forced out a kind leader who loved his people just because he fell for someone who was different.”

Kyoko saw the tears streaming from Maria’s eyes. Kyoko knew how much she missed her mother and all of this must be painful to talk about. Kyoko watched as Maria wiped her eyes and continued.

“And now you’re here standing in front of _ me, _ of all people, trying to denounce the throne because of your bloodline. What makes me any more fit to rule than you with my fae blood- My _ mother’s _ blood coursing through _ my _ veins? Stop hiding behind stupid prejudices just because you’re scared. It’s disgusting.”

Before Kyoko could get a word in, Maria ran off back towards the castle.

~-~

Kuon begrudgingly followed behind Kijima as he led him towards the markets. He had grown slightly familiar with this area during the time Kyoko wasn’t talking to him. There was plenty of gossip to get about the princess, and, if he was lucky, he was hoping he would spot her among the crowd. As they got closer, Kuon began to smell the mixture of aromas. The spices, meats, and fruits being sold all mingled together for a sour-sweet smell. The voices of all the sellers calling out to customers traveled to his ears, canceling out all the murmurs of the people they passed. 

“This is… actually a good place to start Kijima. I’m shocked.” Kuon said, purposefully adding a condescending tone to his voice.

Kijima gave Kuon a sidelong-glance that clearly showed his taken offense. “Excuse you, I don’t find _ all _ of my women in dingy bars. The market is a great place to conveniently bump into people and strike up a conversation. Preferably cute girls, of course, but maybe you’ll get lucky and bump into an old fisherman just _ dying _ to tell you all of his tales.” 

Kuon allowed a chuckle to slip out. “Say what you want about the fisherman, but they can sure handle their whiskey.”

“What?” Kijima asked, frowning in confusion.

“Nothing. So, you know the people here pretty well?”

“Umm… I wouldn’t say that. I know a few people around here. People I’d prefer to not see, if I’m being honest. But I’m here doing you a favor so if we _ both _ end up getting slapped, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” 

“You never cease to amaze me. At least, with your stupidity. So… What do we do?”

“I told you already, just go up to someone and talk to them. It’s not that hard. I’ll even do it for you as practice once or twice so you can see how it’s done.”

As Kuon was about to respond he heard someone calling him. He turned his head, following the sound, until his eyes fell upon a man. He was short, at least, shorter than Kuon, with wavy black hair. His face was somewhat familiar, but Kuon couldn’t really figure out where he had seen him before. Before he could do anything, Kijima walked beside him and waved.

“Hey!” The man called, walking towards them. “Um… Kuon, right? I thought I recognized you.” 

“Uh…” Kuon looked over at Kijima unsure of what to say.

“Yeah, he’s Kuon. The Fae Prince in the flesh.” Kijima offered helpfully. “I’m his friend, Kijima. Nice to meet you…?”

“Taira Murasame.” The man said, reaching out a hand to shake with Kijima’s. His attention turned back to the quiet Kuon. 

Kijima nudged him slightly to get his attention. 

“Hello, Murasame. You seem to know me, but… Well… Do I know you?” 

Murasame laughed and shook his head. “Ah, I guess it makes sense if you don’t remember me. We haven’t seen each other since we were young. We used to hang out all the time. It was me, a few other kids… oh! And that friend of yours, the really scrawny one. I can’t remember his name.” 

Almost immediately, it all came rushing back to Kuon. Murasame… He remembered playing with him. Introducing him to Yashiro. And the way he had betrayed Yashiro, and Kuon. The anger Kuon had held inside of him since he was young bubbled up to the surface. Before anyone could react he pinned Murasame to the ground.

A hush fell over the market, but Kuon didn’t notice. All eyes were on him, but they felt millions of miles away. Kuon held his forearm down on Murasame’s throat as he leaned in a mere inch or two from his face.

“Yashiro. His name- The name of the boy you _ tortured _ is Hidehito Yashiro.”

Kuon raised his fist only to feel a strong grip holding onto it. He looked up to see Kijima standing over him. Kuon felt himself return to reality. He looked around and saw that the market had gone silent save for the whispers from people. He could hear the words “fae prince” being muttered from all directions. 

“_ Kuon _ .” Kijima hissed. “If you want to actually make _ friends _ with humans, I would _ not _ suggest you start by publicly assaulting one in the middle of a crowded market. _ Get up _.” 

Kuon looked down at Murasame and sighed before standing up. He had no intention of apologizing, but at the very least, he figured, Kijima was right. This was no way for the Fae Prince to behave. 

Murasame huffed and brushed off his clothes as he stood up. “What the hell, Kuon?! What are you even talking about?” 

It was all Kuon could do to stop himself from lunging at him again. 

“Are you telling me you don’t remember the day you and the rest of your friends left Yashiro stuck in that tree for _ hours _ ? You all left him up there and didn’t even give him a second thought. But I guess it’s my fault for entrusting him to a bunch of _ humans. _”

He spat out the last word like it was poison on his tongue.

Murasame tilted his head in confusion and squinted his eyes as if he was thinking about something. “Oh, is _ that _ was this is about? Kuon. We were _ kids _. It was just a bit of harmless fun. Don’t we all do stupid shit as kids? Besides, it’s not like he died up there. He’s fine.” 

“You don’t _ get it _ do you!? All you humans ever care about- Yashiro is alive! Hooray! We can carry on like nothing happened! The war fucking ended! Whoop-dee-doo! Now we can have fairies be our indentured servants! You are all _ sick _ and I am disgusted at myself for even _ trying _ to find-”

Suddenly, Kuon pitched forward as a sudden pain spread in his leg and he hurried to put his hands out to steady himself before he fell flat onto his face. A vice-like grip made its way onto his shoulder, digging fingernails in all the way to his skin through his clothes. 

“You’ll have to excuse my friend here.” Kijima spoke from above him and though Kuon knew that it was Kijima speaking, his tone of voice had changed drastically from what it was before. 

“I think he’s a little cranky today.”

Murasame’s expression had hardened and he glanced back and forth between Kuon and Kijima for a moment before they settled on Kuon. 

“I don’t know what the fuck the princess sees in you, Kuon. But if you’re still haunted by things that happened over a decade ago, I don’t think you have any damn chance of a future with anybody but yourself and your own fucking misery.” Murasame spat, adjusting his clothes as he stormed away. 

Kuon had no words. The whole point of his trek into the kingdom was to work on that. And he knew it would’ve been fine if it weren’t for Murasame popping up out of nowhere. 

Kuon looked at the faces of everyone in the market. Everyone from the adults to the kids looked almost _ fearful _ of him. The humans were afraid of a fairy. If it were under different circumstances, Kuon would have laughed. He jerked his arm away from Kijima and stormed off towards Sylva.

~-~

Kyoko chased after Maria as she ran into the castle. Servants turned to look at her as she rushed inside but she couldn’t spare even a second to listen to their questions or provide them with any answers. She saw a head of blonde hair disappear behind a corner and ran even faster. She couldn’t just let Maria run away from her like this after the conversation they’d just had. 

All of Kyoko’s points had sounded better in her head, but after hearing herself say them out loud and witnessing the effect that they’d had on Maria, she was starting to think that maybe she’d been wrong. 

Kuon’s words about Kyoko’s views on the fae were ringing in her head. She hadn’t realized until now that she really had been harboring such a harmful mindset. 

When Lory had sent Kouki away, Kyoko was still young. She hadn’t really understood what was happening at such a young age and somehow it had been embedded into her brain that Kouki had done something wrong. Though they weren’t actually siblings as it turns out, Kouki had been a brother to Kyoko and she resented him for getting sent away. She was always alone at the castle, being the only child to live there, and with Kouki leaving, Kyoko was completely and utterly alone, so she had blamed him. She stopped sending him letters a few months after he had left and somehow had grown up to blame the fae for taking her brother away from her. 

It _ wasn’t _ anyone’s fault though, it was just the way that things were and the way that things had happened. Kyoko couldn’t even blame Lory for sending Kouki away because she knew that the people of Vicinia would have never stood for Kouki staying. Kouki and Maria got to live a peaceful life because they were sent away. They didn’t have to deal with the prejudice or judgement. 

Yet, there Kyoko was, being no better than the people that would have openly denounced Kouki’s claim to the throne and resisted the changing of the times with all of their being. 

Kyoko couldn’t be blind to it anymore. Now was the time for change. She had to find Maria as soon as possible. 

The brief flash of blonde had disappeared long before Kyoko rounded the corner where she had last seen it, but as she looked around at the hallway that she’d found herself in, she realized where Maria must have gone. 

This part of the castle wasn’t used as much anymore as Lory refused to let it be renovated and, really, Lory, Kyoko, and the staff were the only people that lived in the castle. It was a bit dark and hazy from the amount of dust that what little light there was did catch, but Kyoko knew her way here even in pitch darkness. 

Kouki’s old room. 

The door creaked as Kyoko pushed it open. Everything had been left as it was before Kouki was sent away. Kyoko had spent practically all of her time in here bothering her brother while he studied for his lessons. 

Maria was sitting on the bed with her back facing the door, bent over something. 

Kyoko could tell Maria knew she had entered by the slight motion of her head when the door creaked. 

“My mother… She always liked dolls. Specifically, handmade ones. She used to try and carve them for me, but they were always so bad. So, when I came here and saw these wooden handmade dolls… They reminded me of her.”

“Maria…” Kyoko began softly, stepping closer to the bed but keeping a bit of distance from Maria. “I’m sorry. What I said was wrong. All of it.” 

Maria suddenly turned around, startling Kyoko at first, until she saw the tears streaming from Maria’s eyes. 

“I just… miss her so much.” Maria held the doll against her chest as she bawled.

Kyoko, unable to handle the sight of Maria crying, sprinted forward and enveloped her in a tight hug. Though Maria had been livid not too long ago, she gripped tightly at Kyoko and sobbed openly. 

Kyoko comforted her quietly until Maria’s tears had stopped and she pulled away. She rubbed at her eyes, removing the rest of the tears. 

“I- I’m sorry you had to see that Kyoko.” 

“No, it’s okay.” Kyoko said, shaking her head fervently. “You’re allowed to cry in front of whoever you want.”

“Earlier, I just got really frustrated by you rejecting a part of yourself. The same part of me that I love and hold on to.”

Kyoko nodded in understanding. “Because of your mother?” 

Maria nodded her head. “She taught me to embrace both sides of myself. She told me that I am human. I am loving and unswerving. But I am _ also _ a fairy. Forgiving and courageous. And you should always remember that.” 

Maria paused before a thought seemed to pop in her head. “She also taught me traditions. Father taught me about humans, but mother… She showed me something only a fairy could do. Do you want to see?”

Kyoko’s eyes widened. “Of course, I do.” 

Maria grinned mischievously as she laid the doll out on the bed. She closed her eyes, and when they opened again, her green eyes seemed to light up. Kyoko was so entranced by Maria’s eyes she hadn’t noticed the doll floating beside her. Her breath caught in her throat as she watched the doll float towards Maria and into her lap. Maria closed her eyes once more, and they returned to normal. 

“Did you…” Kyoko gasped, pointing to the doll. “Did you just do that?” 

Maria smiled at Kyoko. “My mother taught me. But, this is about all I can do. Before she could teach me anymore… Anyways, it’s pretty cool right?”

“It’s amazing!” Kyoko cried in shock. “I’ve been told that all the fae who have magical abilities have been gone for years. And yet, here you are wielding it like it’s nothing.” 

“See? Being a fairy isn’t all bad.” 

“It’s not.” Kyoko agreed. “I’m sorry again for what I said. It was wrong of me and I realize now that it was coming from a place of hurt. I’ll try harder to not say such harmful things. Will you forgive me?” 

Maria rolled her eyes. “You, you, you. That’s all this day has been about. It’s time to start celebrating_ me _, and the fact that I’m here. Come on, I haven’t seen grandfather all day.”

Maria got up from the bed and headed towards the door. “Well, are you coming or not?”

Kyoko smiled, glad that Maria was able to put aside their differences so easily. Things weren’t exactly fixed, but Kyoko definitely finally felt like she understood what Kuon had been saying to her all this time. 

“Of course, I am.” 

~-~

“Kuon!” Kijima shouted after him, struggling to keep up by the sound of it. 

Without looking back, Kuon stuck up his middle finger at Kijima as he finally crossed the border into Sylva. He stumbled slightly over some branches, but he’s avoided the main entrance multiple times as Ren. This was nothing he wasn’t used to already.

“Did you just fucking flip me off?!” Kijima shouted. “I just saved you from making a huge mistake and this is the thanks I get for it?! I should have just let you beat the shit out of that guy, maybe you would have given me a hug!” 

Kuon stopped walking. He turned around to face Kijima. 

“I certainly don’t recall asking for your help back there.”

Kijima stopped a short distance away from Kuon, clearly out of breath, and glared. “Listen, Kuon, you’re good looking and all, but you are _ not _ hot enough to get away with making me _ run after you _ . Cut the bullshit. If I didn’t stop you back there, there would have been far more hell to pay than dealing with _ me _.” 

Kuon didn’t say anything. He turned around and began walking away from Kijima yet again.

“That guy may have been a fucking asshole, Kuon.” Kijima called out behind him. “But he had a _ point _. If you keep going down this path, all you’re going to do is end up alone and sad.” 

Kuon stalked back to Kijima and immediately swung out at him.

Kijima reeled back, head whipping to the side from the impact. His eyes were closed as he slowly turned back to face Kuon, lifting up a hand to gently feel the already reddening bruise. 

“I’m going to give you that one…” Kijima spoke lowly as he opened his eyes, and frost bit at each word. “Because you’re upset. But I would _ not _ suggest you try it a second time.” 

Kuon hesitated. He had never heard Kijima sound so serious, let alone angry. As a matter of fact, in all the years they’ve known each other, Kuon had never actually _ hit _ Kijima. He’d gotten close, multiple times, but now that he had actually done it… it didn’t feel as good as he thought it would. 

“I’m going. _ Don’t _follow me.”

Before hearing Kijima’s response, Kuon whipped around and charged off towards where he remembered Jelly’s house to be. 

Kuon’s thoughts were racing. He wasn’t sure what had happened in the past couple of minutes, and as he tried to recall the events it just wasn’t making sense. Before he knew it, his feet had carried him to Jelly’s place. It was almost like instinct to go there at this point. He didn’t have a chance to knock on the door before Jelly opened it.

“Kuon? What’s wrong? Come inside.”

Kuon entered her home and sat down at the usual spot in front of the table. Jelly went off to go warm up some tea as she did every time he came to visit her, and then promptly sat down.

“Jelly, have you ever… hated someone?” Kuon asked, almost sheepishly.

Jelly frowned in confusion. “Why do you ask?” 

“I… I have tried time and time again to move past this. This hatred I have in my heart for humans. I don’t know why it won’t leave. I’m _ in love _ with a human for crying out loud and yet… I met someone today, someone who had wronged me in the past. Well, Yashiro and I. And I got so angry. I lashed out at him, at Kijima, and… Have you ever felt like this Jelly?”

Jelly opened her mouth to respond but was distracted by the sound of the kettle whistling in the kitchen. 

“Hold on just a moment.” She said quietly before making her way into the kitchen. She appeared a few moments later holding two steaming mugs of tea. She placed one in front of Kuon and the other down on the table in front of herself. 

“I… have felt that way before, yes. I imagine every fairy living in Sylva has as well. Living beside the humans as we do, even with the treaty, has its faults.” 

Kuon sighed and sipped at his tea. “I just… can’t forgive them for putting Yashiro in danger like that. For belittling fae people everywhere. They… don’t care, and they can’t, or rather, _ won’t _change.”

“Would you like for me to tell you a story?” Jelly asked, taking a sip of her tea and looking at him oddly. 

Kuon looked at her quizzically, but nodded his head.

“So, once upon a time, there was a girl who grew up in a small town. Everyone in the small town knew each other and were very close. This girl loved to play with the other kids and everyone in the town loved her.”

Kuon felt inclined to ask Jelly if she was the girl but he knew better than to interrupt her. 

“Then, one day the girl was playing with her friends outside and she accidentally touched one of them. That friend of hers shrieked with fear as they watched their skin slowly change color and grow small blue scales. The shrieking got to be so loud that it drew the attention of everyone around and they all watched in helpless fear as the girl’s friend became completely covered in blue scales and struggled to breathe.” 

“The adults tried to help but there was nothing that they could do. The girl’s friend couldn’t breathe and fell to the ground. Dead. The girl didn’t know what had happened but the looks on the faces of the people around her had changed. The look in their eyes had darkened to something that the girl had never seen before but was very afraid of. After that, the girl’s parents looked at her the same way as everyone else did. Nobody wanted to play with her anymore and she spent more of her time inside, watching from the window.” 

Kuon knew for certain now that Jelly was the girl. He had never heard this story before now, though, and felt a pang of sympathy in his heart for her. 

“Years passed and the girl got used to being alone. The other kids’ looks had changed but they had morphed into something scarier. They called her names while she passed, things that hurt her deeply and she stayed alone. It wasn’t until one day, when the small town was buzzing with excitement over a sudden visit from the king that the girl felt happiness again.”

“The girl was allowed to go outside only on this day and had a brief break from the constant watch of her parents. She saw the King arrive with a fleet of white horses, wearing gold plated clothing that reflected the sun brightly and blinded her if struck at the right angle. And blinded she was. She had heard tales of knights on white horses come to save the damsels in distress but she hadn’t believed in such stories until that moment.” 

“The king rode around their small city with his horse until he got to the town square. There he departed from his horse and greeted all the people that had welcomed him into the town. The girl knew that she would be in trouble for wandering so close to the town square but she had to try and see the king up close. So, she snuck through the crowd, taking care to keep her hands to herself until she was before the man in all his shining armor. She stared up at him in awe and he noticed her.” 

“He called out to her specifically, spreading out his arms and meeting her gaze with a warm smile. The girl stepped forward into the ray of sunlight, feeling true warmth for the first time in years. But she had forgotten that her place was in the shadows. She was yanked back before she had a chance to be fully embraced by that light and all she could hear was the hysterical screaming of her mother as she was dragged back into their house.” 

“The girl’s father was there as well and both of her parents were screaming, and screaming, and screaming. But the girl had gotten a taste of the light and she was greedy for more. She didn’t want to listen to her parents any more than they had listened to her when she had tried to explain to them that what had happened to her friend was an accident. So, she was done. She left, ignoring their screaming and ran far, far away. She ran until she found someone that listened to her and understood her and she lived a happily ever after.” 

Kuon downed the rest of his tea as Jelly concluded her story. “You never told me about that.” 

Jelly smiled and looked down at her now cooled tea. “It’s not a fairy tale that I enjoy telling.” 

Kuon looked at Jelly, and quickly removed all the pity from his eyes. That wasn’t the reason for her telling him the story.

“Humans… They just don’t know when to quit.”

Jelly fixed him with a complicated stare. “Kuon. There wasn’t a single human in that story except for King Lory.” 

“But… The fae… did that?”

Jelly sighed. “Yes. I won’t say that the humans are entirely without blame but anyone has the potential to be bad. Even fae.” 

Kuon sighed and stared into his empty cup. 

“You say that you think the humans don’t change. Have you ever stopped to question whether or not you’ve changed? Are you still the same Kuon you were all those years ago?” 

Kuon continued staring down at his cup as tears began welling up into his eyes. When the first tear dropped and fell into the cup, it seemed to have opened up the well for the rest of them to flow. 

“I… Deep down I know that. I know _ anyone _ is capable of doing wrong things. I know that but… How am I supposed to deal with all of this anger and frustration I have? I- I’m to blame for what happened with Yashiro. I forced him to hang out with my new friends even though he wasn’t ready or comfortable. I know that. I- I’m always so stubborn and hard-headed. I push away those who try to support me and be my friend. And… I’m so… worried. I have to lead the fae. I have to protect them. I already failed with Yashiro and I just… I can’t let that happen again… But saying it and putting it into practice are two different things. So, I shrug off my duties and I act all nonchalant about everything. But I am _ so _angry. Not at humans, or my father, or the fae… I’m just angry at myself for being so… weak.”

Kuon brushed the tears from his face, purposefully avoiding eye contact with Jelly.

Jelly reached out a hand and squeezed his knee comfortingly. “Only an idiot believes that they’re strong enough to carry the world on their shoulders. It’s okay to be weak and it’s okay to feel like you can’t protect everyone or do everything that you need to. But it’s not okay to let anger fester inside of you and eat away at your heart. You have to let it go. Let the past be the past. Change, and let your experiences teach you, not shape you.” 

Kuon couldn’t help but smile. It was honestly simple. All this time he’s been so angry and so frustrated with himself. It felt like the world really rested on his shoulders. He had put up unnecessary walls and pushed people he loved away. But, the only person really putting this pressure on him was himself. He chuckled at the ridiculousness of it all. If only he had known opening up to Jelly would help him out, he would’ve done it a long time ago. 

“Thank you, Jelly. Honestly. But, now I think I should go apologize to a few people.”

Kuon stood up and gave Jelly a hug before leaving.

“Anytime. Now, you better get out of here before Yashiro starts wondering where you’ve disappeared to for so long. I swear, you’re taking years off of his life.”

“Yeah, I’ll get ready for the lecture.” Kuon laughed morbidly, waving goodbye as he left.


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _ Kuon makes amends. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe we should change the update schedule to "updates on weekends" lol

Kuon woke up knowing exactly what he planned to do today. To put it simply, it would be a day of groveling. With that in mind, he needed to find someone to coach him on it. He left his room on the hunt for Yashiro when he heard a familiar voice call his name. He stopped in his tracks, almost as a reflex, and took a deep breath without turning around. His eyes scanned the area that he was in, it was outside on the path from his house to the capitol building, there was nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. 

He heard his father call his name once again before slowly turning around with a fake charming smile plastered on his face.

“Hello, father, were you looking for me?” Kuon layered on the charm despite knowing it wouldn’t get him very far with his father. Especially with that smile on his face. 

“I heard about a peculiar incident in the Vicinia marketplace yesterday.” Kuu began conversationally, and Kuon couldn’t help but cringe. He hadn’t thought that news would spread so quickly.

“Apparently, a fairy was causing a commotion by instigating physical violence with a human? You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?” 

Kuon chuckled light-heartedly. Despite knowing the ruse was up, he wasn’t about to give up so easily. 

“No, of course not. Why would I? In fact, I would never enter into Vicinia’s marketplace. You know me well enough, don’t you?” 

All while blatantly lying through his teeth, Kuon made sure to keep that charming smile up.

“Oh, really?” Kuu cocked his head to the side. “That’s funny, because I swear that in all the separate reports that I heard, all of them mentioned that it was the _ fae prince _ causing the disturbance.” 

  
Kuon sighed and slowly walked up to his father. He placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Well, father, this is a strange way for you to inform me I have a brother. But I think you should really bring this up with mother. He seems like a real troublemaker.”

Before hearing a response, Kuon turned and tried to hurriedly run away but he was stopped in his tracks by the sound of his father’s voice.

“_ Kuon _. Turn back around this instant.” 

The jig was up. He knew when his father’s voice was this serious he was definitely angry. In fact, this is probably the most he’s been in trouble with his father in such a short period of time. First, it was using magic “irresponsibly” and now this. Kuon felt like he must really be on a losing streak.

He readied himself and then turned around to face his father.

“Consider yourself lucky to be talking about this with me rather than with your mother. You know how she feels about you getting into trouble.” His father reminded him severely. “So, you can either talk to me now or you can wait and talk to her. Which is it going to be?” 

Kuon, seeing as how there was no way out, gave his father a brief explanation of what happened. He told him about his good intentions when entering Vicinia as well as what happened after seeing his childhood friend. He even went as far as to tell his father about what followed afterwards with Kijima. Kuon deliberately withheld the information about Jelly. The last thing he wanted was his father knowing about the pressures he felt as fae prince.

“You are the face of the fae.” Kuu snapped and the look on his face clearly displayed his disappointment. “You are the future of our people, and the only hope that we have of securing a prosperous future of equality with the humans. This sort of behavior sets us back in ways that you can’t even imagine.” 

“Ways I can’t even- You don’t get it do you? I _ can _ imagine it. I’ve been imagining it since you put the weight of the entire fae people on my shoulders. I have been trying to put up with this stress for years, but you haven’t even _ once _asked me if I was okay, if I could handle all of this, and I didn’t tell you anything because you can’t expect any less from the son of Kuu Hizuri.”

Kuon snapped and as the words left his mouth he wished he could take them back. He never wanted his father to know all of this because he never blamed him. Yet, all the same, the pressure had built up to this point. 

“I didn’t ask you if you could handle it, because I knew that you could. You are the son of Kuu Hizuri, so I know that you can do this. If you had concerns, you’re always welcome to talk to me about them. I’m not sure why you’re so stubborn that you’ve gone this long without coming to me for anything. I guess that’s a Hizuri trait as well.” 

“Well, like you said, I’m _ your _ son. I _ should have _ been able to handle it. So, when I would freak out about something… I don’t know. I felt like I let you down. And I guess I didn’t want to disappoint you anymore. It’s stupid.” 

Kuon avoided his father’s gaze. He was feeling strangely sheepish about letting his father know all of this. It was very unlike their usual relationship. But after his discussion with Jelly, he figured it was better to let it all out.

“Son, you could never disappoint me.” Kuu promised. “Unless you go around beating up humans in front of large crowds, of course. I’ve taught you better than that.” 

Kuon sighed. 

“Yeah, I know. And I’m going to make amends. I just… I’m not sure entirely how yet. I was going to see Yashiro to talk it out.”

“Unfortunately, I don’t think the situation is going to resolve itself so easily. It’s one thing for a fairy to cause commotion in human territory but it’s another thing entirely for a fairy in a position of power to cause trouble. You’ll need to make a public apology for your behavior. Public opinion of us is a dangerously flimsy thing. We need to ensure its stability as much as possible.” 

“Yes, sir. Now if you’ll excuse me… I have to curry some favor so that I may successfully be with Princess Kyoko. Or at least, that’s what I got from what you said.”

“I didn’t mention her at all,” Kuu laughed. “Still, it’s nice to see you so serious about someone. Hopefully things will work out well for you two. I’m serious about your mother, though. I’ll do my best to keep it from her, but she will find out about this eventually. Try avoiding her for a while. At least until she calms down.” 

“Got it, thanks. I gotta go, but I promise I’ll make things right.”

Kuon gave his father a quick wave goodbye before heading off to find Yashiro. 

  
  


~-~

Kuon finally laid his eyes on Yashiro buried underneath some paperwork, which, Kuon was certain, was meant for him. He rapped lightly on the open door and leaned against it as Yashiro looked up. Without saying anything, he buried his head back into the paperwork.

“Oh come on. Yashiro, you can’t ignore me. What did I do this time?” Kuon walked up to the desk and placed his hands firmly on it. 

Yashiro sighed but still refused to look at him. “I thought we were over this, Kuon. We talked about it and everything.” 

“Talked about it…? Talked about what?”

Yashiro turned to him finally and the look in his friend’s eyes was tired. “Murasame. I heard about what happened yesterday. Everyone is talking about it. I told you that the situation didn’t bother me. I still don’t understand why you’re so mad about it that you would do something that reckless.” 

Kuon scratched his head. “I wouldn’t say I was reckless… I just- I got angry for you. Or I guess, because of…? I know you weren’t bothered anymore, but it doesn’t mean my feelings about it would just go away.” 

“Don’t do things like that for my sake, Kuon.” Yashiro frowned. “It’s not worth it. The backlash from this is going to be intense.”

“I know, I know... Or it could _ not _ be? If you help me? Please?” 

Yashiro pushed his glasses up onto his nose. “What did you have in mind?” 

~-~

Kuon didn’t have much of a plan. In his mind, he would simply go into the marketplace, apologize, and then everything would be better. What he _ definitely _ didn’t count on was going into the marketplace and running into Kyoko. Yashiro was confused when Kuon suddenly pulled him into an alleyway without any explanation, but he couldn’t very well just walk up to her. Well, he could, but didn’t have the will to at the moment. 

He watched her as she walked up to a group of fae servants. Her hair was down and she was dressed in casual clothing. Well, he assumed, as casual clothing as the princess owned. He was happy to see her, but her being there brought up an issue. He planned to do a _ public _ apology, but he couldn’t very well do that with her staring at him. As Kuon was lost in thought, Yashiro tapped him on the shoulder. 

“What’s the matter? Are you hesitating because of the princess?”

Kuon looked at Yashiro completely dumbfounded. “Well, it’s not like I can go out there and admit that I have anger issues relating to deep trauma from my childhood in front of the girl I potentially want to marry. That’s basically throwing our relationship to the wind. No, we’ll just wait it out until she’s gone.”

“What?” Yashiro questioned, looking utterly confused. “But… if you have plans to marry her in the future, things like this are important. Talking about deep childhood trauma is important. _ Not _ talking about it is throwing your relationship to the wind. It will come up eventually.” 

Kuon was contemplating what Yashiro said when he suddenly noticed a group of eyes on him. Standing at a fruit stall, a group of women were whispering to one another while glancing at him and Yashiro. 

“Yashiro, I think we should-” 

Before Kuon could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by an angry woman.

“Here to cause more trouble, Fae Prince?” 

Kuon opened his mouth to respond, but the woman had already drawn the attention of several others in the marketplace. Men and women alike were guarding their children and staring him down with contempt on their faces. Reluctantly, he stepped out of the alleyway, and for a very brief moment, made eye contact with the princess. He averted his gaze quickly from her as the murmurs grew louder.

“As a representative of Sylva,” Yashiro began suddenly, talking in a loud and clear voice. “I would like to introduce you all to a good friend of mine. His name is Kuon Hizuri and he is the prince of Sylva. I apologize for interrupting your busy schedules, but I would like you all to give a few minutes of your time to listen to what he has to say.” 

Yashiro glanced at Kuon meaningfully, mouthing the words “_ you can do this _” as he gestured to him and took a few steps backwards. 

Kuon took a deep breath and faced the quickly growing crowd of people.

“I am the Fae Prince, and as I am sure many of you have heard, I have done some deplorable things yesterday. I was wrong for what I did, and I was wrong to even think that I could behave in such a manner. As the prince of Sylva, I should understand that my actions do affect many people. Not just myself. I was angry, and lashed out at someone rather than taking the lead from my father in being diplomatic and cautious when it comes to any conflict. So, I am here to grant an apology to you, the citizens of Vicinia for making you fear for the safety of yourselves as well as your children. Moving forward, I realize that I must do better and I _ will _do better.”

Kuon scanned the crowd and noticed that Kyoko had made her way to the forefront. He met her gaze head on and continued.

“The divide between our people has only widened throughout the years of war. As of lately, my father, and the benevolent King Lory have made many strides to getting us to be on more amicable terms. And I am ashamed to be a part of the people who think they can ignore the efforts that they have made. So, I am here to humbly ask for your forgiveness, and to help me, my people, and yours as well, bring us all closer together.”

Kuon bowed his head, too afraid to raise it up in fear of what face Kyoko would be making. 

“I’d like to thank you for your time, and giving me the chance to apologize to you all.”

Slowly, Kuon raised his head to look at the crowd. They stood staring at him for a few more seconds before quietly dispersing. Which, Kuon decided, was a good sign. He finally released the breath he didn’t know he was holding. He had known it would be hard, but Kyoko being there just made it all the more difficult. 

“Good job.” Yashiro praised quietly from behind him. 

Out of the corner of his eye Kuon saw the princess approaching him and mentally prepared himself to talk to her after what had just happened. 

“So… that _ was _ you yesterday?” Kyoko asked as she came to a stop in front of him. “I was so sure that people were mistaken. I didn’t think that you would… do something… like that.” 

Kuon couldn’t hide the shame on his face. 

“Yes, it… uh, definitely wasn’t my proudest moment. But, it went better than I expected overall. So, what are you doing here?” 

“It was good of you to apologize .I think they’ll be able to respect you more if you can own up to your mistakes.” Kyoko smiled. “I was just doing some rounds of the city, I thought it would be nice to talk to some fae that live in Vicinia and get their perspective of things. It’s been… enlightening to say the least.” 

Kuon chuckled. “I guess we’re both working on things. It’s good. I’m happy to see you, Kyoko.”

“It’s nice to see you, too.” Kyoko beamed up at him and then turned her attention to Yashiro. “And nice to see you as well, Yashiro.” 

Yashiro bowed towards the princess as a response. 

“Are you two headed back to Sylva now or…?”

Kuon bit his bottom lip and shook his head.

“No, actually… Seeing you just reminded me. I have one more stop before I head home. In fact, I should probably head there now before it gets too late.”

“Oh…” Kyoko murmured seeming perplexed but as Kuon wasn’t offering any more details, she didn’t ask further. “Well, I have a few more people that I’d like to speak with before night falls. I wish you a pleasant rest of your day. Perhaps we can find time to talk again soon, Kuon.” 

“I would like that very much Princess Kyoko.”

Kuon gave her a quick bow and headed on his way before she could notice the smile that spread across his face. He heard Yashiro mutter a polite goodbye and come up behind him.

“Um… I’m sorry, have I missed something? Where are we going?” 

Kuon sighed as he walked through the marketplace.

“To see King Lory, I guess.”

~-~

Kuon was against Yashiro presenting him. After all, it was never really his thing, and if his parents weren’t there, he tried to avoid it. But Yashiro insisted all the same that this is how “royalty should act”, and that if he wanted to “marry Princess Kyoko” he should get used to it. So, Kuon begrudgingly agreed. And now here they were in front of King Lory’s room after being invited in by the castle’s chamberlain, Sebastian. Kuon immediately regretted his decision as Yashiro knocked on the door.

“Presenting the Prince of Sylva, Kuon Hizuri to your royal majesty Lory Takarada leader of the sovereign land of Vicinia.” 

“You may enter.” Came the clear response and Sebastian opened the door for Kuon, bowing his head. 

“I’ll wait for you out here.” Yashiro told him quietly and Kuon nodded, entering the room of the king. 

Kuon had mentally prepared himself for this the entire time that he was walking to the castle. He knew what he had to say, but actually saying it was a whole other matter. King Lory sat in his chair, without uttering a word, only adding on the pressure to Kuon. The man was dressed the most like the king of Vicinia that Kuon had ever seen him. He was draped in gold jewelry with hints of red and had a deep purple cloak draped around his shoulders. He could feel his palms start to sweat and he instinctively put on his charming smile.

“Good afternoon, King Lory. It is lovely to see you.”

“I wish that I could say the same, Prince Kuon. But after yesterday’s events, I’m afraid I find it a bit difficult to be in good spirits.” 

Kuon internally screamed, but kept the same cool smile on his face.

“Yes, I realize my wrongs from yesterday. I have apologized to the people of Vicinia and they seemed to have accepted my apology.”

Kuon felt it best to start this off slow. No need trying to rush things, especially considering how much Lory already disliked him.

“Have you now? That’s respectable.” Lory nodded, leaning casually back into his chair. “A man should always apologize for his mistakes. Of course, it’s preferable that those mistakes aren’t made in the first place. Especially, by someone in your position.” 

Kuon swallowed down the anger in the back of his throat. 

“I agree. And I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to you as well. The way I have treated your citizen is unacceptable. And for that, I am sorry.”

Lory stared at him for a long moment before he leaned forward and clasped his hands together, looking at Kuon searchingly. 

“Why are you here, Kuon? If you’ve already apologized to the people, there’s really no reason to personally come here and apologize to me.” 

Kuon gestured towards the chair closest to Lory.

“May I take a seat?”

Lory glanced between the chair and Kuon slowly before silently gesturing to it. Kuon hesitated before sitting down and turning to look Lory in the eyes.

“Well, your majesty, I have come to talk to you about Kyoko…”

“What about her?” 

“Well, it’s come to my understanding that she is currently engaging in marriage interviews…”

Lory’s eyes narrowed further. “Yes… she is. What does that have to do with you, exactly? There are plenty of worthy candidates that we’re looking into currently.” 

“Well,” Kuon gulped. “I was hoping you would permit me… to… throw my hat in the ring, so to speak…”

The king’s head cocked to the side in intrigue but his expression revealed how he truly felt. Kuon wondered if he was even trying to mask his distaste. “I am a progressive man, Kuon. I don’t believe that I should stand in the way of what my daughter wants when it comes to whom she will choose to spend the rest of her life with. I hope you also believe that Kyoko has the final say here and that neither you nor I can truly have a say in that choice.”

Kuon let out a sigh of relief. 

“Well, King Lory, I do appreciate you telling me that. And I am sure that _ Kyoko _ will follow her heart in what’s best for her and the kingdom.” 

“I’m sure that she will.” Lory smiled, and it was anything but pleasant. “Of course, I have done my best to provide her with the best advice and council that I can. It’s a shame if she chooses to not heed my advice but, as I said before, I don’t have the final say here.”

“Yes, well, your advice, I’m sure, has all the best intentions. But perhaps, don’t you think, it’s time we move forward, not back?” Kuon kept his charming smile on at full power.

“It’s only my duty as the king to ensure that the people of Vicinia move forward in the best direction that they can. I hope that you also have the future of your people in mind with the decisions that you make. But, I digress.” Lory sighed, sitting up straight. “You may attend a marriage interview with my daughter, if you wish. I’ll have Sebastian send over the details over to your mother. I’m sure she’ll be delighted.” 

Kuon followed suit, and sat up straight as well. His meeting with the king was almost over, thankfully.

“Oh, I’m sure my mother will be ecstatic. And… as far as my people go,” Kuon suddenly became serious. “I have put them above all else in my decisions, and I will continue to do that especially as they continue to support me.”

With that, Kuon placed his smile back on his face as he stood from his chair, extending his hand to Lory.

“It was a pleasure to come talk to you, King Lory.”

Lory glanced at his hand for a long moment, long enough that Kuon was starting to believe the man wouldn’t shake his hand at all. Lory stood though, and shook Kuon’s hand firmly, grasping just tightly enough that it almost hurt. 

“I’m not entirely sure what Kyoko sees in you, to be completely honest. But I hope you’ll treat her well if the future falls in your favor.”

“Do not worry, I will treat her with the utmost respect.” 

Without even waiting for a response, Kuon turned away, heading for the door. 

“Oh, and Kuon?” Lory called from behind him. 

Kuon stopped at the door with his hand on the handle. He took a moment to allow his smile to return to his face and turned around to face Lory.

“Yes, your majesty?”

“Taira Murasame has always been a troublemaker. It was only a matter of time before his actions caused someone to snap. However, I’m glad it was you. Someone else may not have been able to show the restraint that you did.” 

Kuon couldn’t help his smile from turning into an authentic one.

“I don’t think you’re half bad either, your majesty.”

Lory scowled. “Don’t get cocky, kid. Tell your parents I said hello.” 

Kuon nodded and headed out of the room.

Yashiro was chatting casually with Sebastian when Kuon laid eyes on him, but his friend quickly bid his goodbyes to the chamberlain and rushed to Kuon’s side. 

“How did it go? What did you ask him?” The man questioned relentlessly as they walked towards the entrance of the castle. 

Kuon made sure to look around before informing Yashiro. He couldn’t risk someone listening in and spreading rumors.

“Well, let’s just say, I have a marriage interview with Kyoko coming up sometime soon.” 

“_ What _!?” 

~-~

Halfway back to Sylva, Yashiro was still asking Kuon questions. He had answered them all, but somehow Yashiro found a different way to phrase all of them. As they were almost heading across the border, Kuon heard the noise of a man and a woman giggling together as they exited a bar. He turned to look at them and he was instantly reminded of someone.

“Shit.” Kuon muttered, mainly to himself.

“What?” Yashiro asked, peering around Kuon to look at the couple. “Do you know them or something?” 

“What? No. I’m just a fucking idiot.” Kuon sighed. “Do you happen to know where Kijima is right now, Yashiro?”

Yashiro made a face. “I’m not sure. It’s nighttime and that tends to mean that he’s out on the prowl. Why? Did you need to find him?” 

“Yeah… Go ahead without me, I’ll check his usual spots out here.”

Yashiro looked like he obviously wanted to question him more but, instead, he held his tongue. “Alright. I’ll inform your father that you’ve returned.” 

Kuon muttered something of a thanks and then raced off to the nearest bar.

Possibly an hour or two had passed, and Kuon had checked every bar Kijima usually hung out in, twice, and no one had seen him today. Kuon assumed that he must have been shacked up with some woman to try and forget yesterday. He gave up, and headed back home. 

As Kuon trudged his feet towards his house, he noticed that the lights inside of Kijima’s home were on. That was the first time Kuon had ever seen that. He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d been inside the older’s house. 

He walked towards the door. Before knocking, Kuon silently prayed that Kijima would be alone and knocked twice.

There was no answer for a while or even any sound and just as Kuon brought up his hand to knock again the door swung open and his fist lowered. 

Kijima stood in the doorway, one eyebrow lifted in surprise to see Kuon standing there, and Kuon looked back in equal surprise as he saw the dark purple of the bruise forming on Kijima’s cheek even in the dark lighting. 

“Kuon? What are you doing here?” 

Kuon hesitated before answering, feeling instant remorse as he looked at Kijima’s face.

“Are you alone?”

Kijima leaned against the doorway and crossed his arms. “Why? Did you have something in mind, suddenly coming to my house out of nowhere?” 

Kuon smiled and, without warning, pulled Kijima into a hug.

Kijima stilled in his arms, not reacting at all. “Um… Kuon? Wh-what are you doing right now?” 

Before pulling away, Kuon muttered an “I’m sorry”.

“If you _ ever _ tell anyone about this, I _ will _ ban you from Sylva.”

Kijima looked at him with wild eyes and his mouth was open as he soundlessly attempted to form words before giving up completely. 

“I… I’m not even sure what _ this _ is?” Kijima muttered in obvious shock. “Did you just _ hug _ me? Did you actually come here for something? I’m confused. But I don’t have any guests tonight, I don’t play the tough guy role well, I don’t want anyone to see me with a bruise and think I actually like fighting.” 

“Look, I’m making amends with people, and I fucked up yesterday, and I guess you somehow got caught up in all of that. So, I’m here making the rest of my amends, because you’re a good… fri… You’re a good person to have around for, um, fun times? I guess…”

Kijima reached out to place a hand on Kuon’s shoulder, blatantly ignoring the disgust in Kuon’s eyes as he did. 

“No! You need to be more clear than that! I still have no idea what you’re trying to say to me. Try using different words.” 

“I messed up, and you can come back and be annoying around me. What else do you want?”

Kijima sighed exaggeratedly and removed his hand. “Fine. I can’t even get you to actually say nice things to me for once, even when it’s _ clearly _ your fault that I’m all by my lonesome tonight. I see how it is.” 

Kuon rolled his eyes. “Listen, at the end of the day. Your annoying, perverted, disgustingly affectionate way of interacting with me is, at the very least, not entirely uncomfortable for me. With that being said, I will not get any nicer to you for a long time.”

“Aww,” Kijima cooed, patting Kuon’s cheek affectionately. “That was almost nice. I’m so proud. I’d kiss you if I didn’t think I’d get a broken bone for it. You hit _ way _ too hard.” 

“It’s how I show my affection. Touch my cheek again and I’ll gladly show you my affection once more.”

Kijima laughed. “I hope you aren’t nearly this rough with the princess. I don’t take her for the kind to enjoy manhandling nearly as much as I do. That being said though,” 

Kijima’s expression darkened in an echo of the severe glare he had yesterday just after Kuon punched him. 

“I show _ my _affection through pacifism. Yesterday was a one time thing. Don’t do it again or I might not care for you nearly as much as I do now.”

Kuon stayed silent, not exactly sure how to respond to the thinly veiled threat. 

“Apology accepted!” Kijima cheered as if his entire demeanor hadn’t changed for a moment. “You’re really bad at them, though. You should work on that before you become a married man.” 

“Well, I was never one for showing affection, but I’m sure if I get the woman I’m after, I wouldn’t have any qualms about it.”

“That’s a good attitude to have.” Kijima nodded. “Now if you’ll excuse me, this has really been great and I appreciate you stopping by. However, I may be alone tonight but I have some special plans for showing affection to myself. I’ll see you later.” 

Not quite knowing what to say in response to that, Kuon nodded his head. “Yes, well, goodnight.”

“Goodnight, sweet prince!” Kijima called as he walked back inside, blowing a kiss before closing the door behind him. 

Kuon grimaced in response to Kijima’s antics while letting out a yawn after the door shut. He hadn’t realized how exhausting apologizing, and kissing butt could be until today. But he was eager to get some sleep, because tomorrow he might finally get his long awaited message about his and Kyoko’s marriage interview.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _ The Princess makes a very, very important announcement. _

Kyoko had ventured into the kingdom to talk to the fae earlier in the week. The conversation between her and Kuon the last time they had talked had been eye opening, and she wanted to confront Kuon’s words head on. A large percentage of the people that would be under her care when she became queen would be fae and she wanted to care for them all equally. Not to mention, she wanted to fully understand the lives that they lived in the kingdom. She couldn’t fix the problem if she didn’t know what the problem  _ was _ . 

She hadn’t exactly been sure what to expect when she headed down into the fae division of Vicinia but she had been pleasantly surprised that people actually wanted to talk to her. People had quietly watched her walk through the small town at first, curious eyes peeking out from doors and windows. 

An old lady had been struggling with a wheelbarrow and Kyoko rushed to help her.

The woman had been adamant about not letting Kyoko help, stubborn despite her old age. Kyoko had talked with her over tea when they got to her home and she had told stories of her ancestors surviving the war and the aftermath of all that had happened. Kyoko’s heart had been torn by her and her family’s struggle. 

After that, Kyoko had been driven to talk with more people. She walked further into the town and approached more fae that didn’t seem too intimidated by her presence to talk to her. She heard various stories from all the people that were willing to speak with her and for the first time got to fully understand what sort of lives the fae actually lived. She heard far too many stories from people talking about how hard it was to find work, as well as how little those with stable jobs were actually paid. 

It was obvious that the fae wanted change, Kyoko could see it in their tired eyes and haggard appearances. She could hear it in their stories and the careful way that they talked to her, always avoiding names. They told her how comforting it was to see the dawn of a new era for the fae and how great it was to see Kuon and Kyoko walk the streets together. 

Kyoko finally understood the limbo that the fae living in the human territory were stuck in. Their ancestors hadn’t rebelled with the rest of their race so the fae had once deemed them as traitors and the humans would never accept them as their own. They had no one but themselves to rely on and a dying culture that only continued to muddle their identities. 

What had stuck out to Kyoko the most was a reverie from another elderly fae woman who had recounted stories passed down to her by her parents. They were aged tales from the days when the fae still had their magic abilities and beautiful wings that spread out across the sky and twinkled under the light of the sun. Kyoko had thought back to the drawing she had tucked away in one of her desk drawers that Reino had given her, the drawing of her own brilliant wings that he had somehow seen. It felt incredibly tragic that such an important part of fae culture was not only lost forever, only to be told in stories, but it was tragic that all of the people Kyoko talked to were losing that connection to who they really were. 

All of it had inspired Kyoko more than she could have imagined. She had been apprehensive about the fae part of herself mostly because it came from her father, who was a traitor to the crown. She hadn’t been thinking about any of the positive parts of being a fae at all. More importantly, there weren’t just benefits for Kyoko, there were benefits for the  _ fae _ . She could be the voice that they didn’t have, the home that they couldn’t find, and the leader that made change happen for them. 

There would be no more hiding from her future or running from her past, she would face both herself and the people of Vicinia without hesitation and become the queen that she was destined to be. 

~-~

Kyoko wasn’t going to bother with calling Chiori and Kanae to her room. She felt like she had to get ready herself. There was no  _ real  _ reason as to why, but Kyoko needed the people to see  _ her _ today. She entered her closet and looked around. This was, at least to her, her first real moment as the princess of Vicinia as well as her first step towards becoming the queen. 

Her eyes fell on a golden full-length dress. Despite being the princess, Kyoko rarely wore gold. It always seemed, in her mind, too official. It was a color meant to be worn by the royal family, and it never felt right on her. She pulled the dress down and laid it out on her bed. After picking out a pair of white heels, she put the dress on.

After pulling on her heels, Kyoko decided to finally call in Chiori and Kanae. They entered the room and stopped suddenly upon seeing Kyoko.

“Kyoko… You’re wearing gold…? What’s going on? Is there something we weren’t made aware of?” Kanae asked as she approached Kyoko.

“Yeah, last time I checked gold was for crownings and what not.” Chiori quickly chimed in.

“There’s going to be a royal announcement today.” Kyoko explained, struggling to fasten a necklace around her neck. Kanae quickly moved behind her, swatting her hands away so she could do it instead. 

“A royal announcement? Well, no one told us there was going to be- Wait, you got dressed yourself? Why didn’t you call us?” Chiori asked.

Kyoko smiled brightly at Chiori. “I just decided that there would be one. I have something to say to the people. Rather than helping me dress, I actually need the two of you to help me prepare by setting everything up for the announcement.”

“Alright. Where will you have it?” Kanae said as she, not so gently, pushed Kyoko into a chair and began tying up her hair.

“Just in front of the castle would be fine. I also need to let my father know.”

“I’ll let King Lory know. Chiori, you prepare the announcement.” Kanae snapped.

“Me? But-”

Kanae cut Chiori off before she could finish complaining. “Geez, does it always have to be an argument with you? You’re better at getting people to do what you want. Now hurry.”

Chiori gave Kanae a proud smile as she turned to leave. Kanae finished tying up Kyoko’s hair and stepped back.

“Before I leave, is there anything else you need?”

Kyoko smiled warmly and shook her head, pulling her friend in for a hug despite her obvious hesitation. 

“No. You’ve done enough for me already. Even  _ this _ is something that I owe to you.” 

Kyoko could see a bit of confusion on Kanae’s face, but she didn’t ask any questions. Kanae nodded and headed out to go find Kyoko’s father.

Kyoko took one last look in the mirror before heading out to the foyer. As she made her way there, slowly, she could hear her heart beating in her chest. She was nervous. It wouldn’t be her first time at a royal announcement, but it would be a first for her to organize one. As she approached the stairs, the beating in her chest grew louder and she could feel her palms begin to sweat.

Her mind was racing a mile a minute, and she was no longer sure about what she was doing. How would the people react? What would her father say? She hadn’t spoken to anyone about this, what if she was making a mistake? She gripped onto the banister and suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder.

“I remember my first royal announcement as well,” Lory began. “I was shaking, despite how outgoing I am. It’s different when the opinion of others  _ does  _ matter. But I had your mother there to guide me through it and give me strength, just as I will do for you.” 

He placed a kiss on her head and offered his hand to her. Kyoko could feel herself calming down as she placed her hand in her father’s. He led her down the steps to where Sebastian and Sawara stood in front of the doorway. They bowed to both King Lory and Kyoko in turn.

“Miss Chiori has informed that the preparations are all done. Whenever you’re ready Princess Kyoko.” Sebastian stated.

Kyoko glanced once more up at her father, who gave her a reassuring nod. 

“Please open the door, Sebastian.”

Sebastian gave her a curt nod and opened the entrance to the castle. At the bottom of the castle steps, Kyoko could see a sea of people staring up at her in expectation. Looking beyond them, she could see more people joining in the crowd. Kids were hoisted on shoulders, and the elderly were escorted to the front. In the back, as Kyoko knew, were the fae people. She could barely make them out amongst the crowd. 

Kyoko took a deep breath to calm herself once more. Her father squeezed her hand for comfort and stepped back as she took to the center of everyone’s view. 

She nodded to Sebastian who stepped forward to address the crowd. 

“Ladies and gentlemen of Vicinia. I present to you your royal highness, the crowned princess of Vicinia, Princess Kyoko Takarada.”

“Good afternoon, everyone.” Kyoko greeted, and she was surprised by the steadiness of her voice. “I apologize for calling you all here so suddenly. I just realized that there was something in which I desperately wanted to speak with you all about.” 

Her gaze traveled across the crowd, meeting the eyes of all the citizens that would be her responsibility at some point in the future. These were her people. 

“I am the princess of Vicinia but I’m afraid that I haven’t been as completely transparent as all of you would likely expect me to be. I recently found out about something pertaining to my heritage that I feel is necessary to share with you all. You see, my mother, the late Princess Saena, fell in love with a man who was concealing his true identity from her. She had me, a child born from a dark relationship.” 

Kyoko paused and let her words sink in. She had just admitted to something major and the faces of her citizens reflected that. All of her life, not only had she believed that Lory was her father but so had all of the citizens of Vicinia. 

“The man that my mother met was with her for nefarious purposes and he tried to trick her in order to get information for the group he was working with that was notorious for trying to overthrow the crown. This man is my true father, not Lory Takarada. This man… is also a fairy.” 

The shocked gasps from the crowd unsettled Kyoko, but she took a breath and continued. 

“Which means that I am actually half-fae, half-human and my claim to the throne is not as legitimate as you all may have thought. However, I hope that you do not look at me any differently. I am the same Kyoko that you’ve always known. Though, I have changed in other ways. I’ve gotten to learn so much more about the people around me and the people of this kingdom in the past few months. I learned that we do not have a perfect system yet and that we need to keep working towards that goal. That includes not only caring for one another but caring for others as well and creating an environment that we’re proud to be a part of.” 

“I cannot expect mindsets to change overnight and I understand that. All I ask is that you open your mind to the  _ possibility _ of change. There’s always a need for change if we want to continue growing. And growth is what Vicinia needs to maintain the right to call itself the greatest kingdom in all the land. I want to help take Vicinia to that point but I cannot do it alone. I need all of you to help me.”

Kyoko looked across the crowd, attempting to gauge the response of the people looking up at her. No one seemed particularly moved or inspired by her words and the general expression on their faces were ones of confusion and shock. 

She faltered a little. Kyoko wasn’t sure what she expected but this was somehow not it. She could see people were already leaving before she had declared the announcement to be over.

Before Kyoko could utter another word, she felt broad hands land on her shoulders. She looked up at her father, who did not meet her gaze in return.

“I have ruled over Vicinia for many years. I am proud of the work I’ve done, and the ruler that I have become. But I would be foolish to believe that what I have done is enough. Throughout my many years living here, I have not met someone as strong-willed, open-minded, and as full of heart as Princess Kyoko. You all have embraced her as your princess when you believed her to be of pure human descent. And you should embrace her now more than ever, now that she has welcomed you into her life. I was remiss in choosing not to inform you all of the truth, but do not let my mistakes hinder my daughter and the growth she strives toward. I believe with my whole heart, that she will bring nothing but love and life to Vicinia in the future. I hope you will all take time to mull over what my  _ daughter _ has announced. Again, we apologize for the inconvenience.”

Lory slightly tugged on Kyoko’s shoulders to imply he wanted her to return inside. 

“I know that I said quite a few surprising things,” Kyoko spoke up suddenly, not wanting to let Lory try to lead her away from the situation. She was trying to face this issue head on, which is why she hadn’t consulted anyone before deciding to do this. She didn’t want anyone to try to convince her decision or to try to tell her that she was going about this the wrong way. 

“And that many of you may need a bit of time to process what I’ve said, so I’d appreciate it if all of you could take that time before coming to a final decision or stance on this news. Thank you all, again, for coming on such short notice.” 

Before anyone in the crowd had a chance to react, Kyoko could hear her father utter out some more polite goodbyes, before he herded her back into the castle. 

“Kyoko, what the  _ hell _ was that?” She turned around to see Chiori looking at her, clearly stunned.

“I-” Kyoko started before quickly getting cut off.

“You didn’t even bother to tell  _ us _ what you were going to do? That was- It was completely irresponsible. As the  _ princess _ you should-” 

As Chiori was scolding Kyoko, Kanae shoved her with her elbow, gesturing up at King Lory.

Chiori’s face grew red, and she bowed in apology.

“I’m so sorry, King Lory. I forgot you were standing there.”

Kyoko turned to look at Lory, and he merely put up a hand to excuse Chiori. His mind was clearly on a more pressing matter.

“Kyoko… What made you decide to out the family’s secrets on such a royal scale? Did you not think to consult anyone? Did it not dawn on you that this not only affects you, but me as well, and all future and past royalty?” 

Kyoko frowned in confusion. “I’m sorry if my words surprised you. I didn’t plan this announcement specifically to talk about those things, I just wanted to be honest with the people of Vicinia, because they deserve to know the truth. I can’t be a ruler to them if my reign is built on lies and dishonesty. I want them to be able to choose me for who I am  _ entirely _ . I was just doing what you said. I made my decision. I want to be the queen one day but I need to do it under these conditions or not at all.” 

Kyoko looked up at her father, expecting a retort, but instead, he graced her with a smile.

“Oh my, you take up after me so much despite everything, I hadn’t even noticed that you had taken on your mother’s will. She was just as stubborn as you are, you know? Well, no point in dwelling on it. What’s done is done. I see you are ready to handle all the repercussions. I will go and prepare for myself, and the castle staff, to do the same. In the future, please do inform people who may have to handle the rebuttal of your choices  _ beforehand _ .”

He gently placed his hand on her head and walked off, calling out to Sebastian and Sawara to follow him. Kyoko stared after him for a moment, immensely grateful that he had stepped in and supported her. She felt like an idiot now for not realizing that of all the moments to not depend on her father, she chose one of the most important. She was glad that he was still there for her regardless. 

A light touch rested on Kyoko’s shoulder and she turned to see Kanae right beside her. 

“I’m proud of you for doing that.” Kanae admitted. Kyoko immediately felt tears spring to her eyes, she had underestimated the support of her handmaidens as well. 

“Thank you.” Kyoko whispered, voice thick with emotion. She moved to hug Kanae but her friend was too quick and avoided her hands by stepping around her. She met Chiori’s scowl.

“Next time you do something this stupid, make sure to let us know. No one asked you to play hero by yourself. If you’re gonna annoy me all the time at least add in the  _ important _ things too. “ 

Kyoko smiled at Chiori, hearing the love behind the striking words. By the look in her eyes though, Kyoko could tell that she wasn’t done reprimanding her. She smiled gratefully, though she was definitely worried about what Chiori would have to say to her later. 

~-~

It was a nice day out, the sun was shining, and Kyoko was strolling around the city, taking a walk with both Chiori and Kanae. Admittedly, after the big reveal of her heritage, Kyoko was feeling a little uneasy being around her people. The crowd’s reaction to her news hadn’t been the most positive and she was already noticing the effect. People were looking at her differently already. 

It wasn’t as noticeable in the castle, since the majority of the people that worked there had known her since she was a child but she’d gone out into the city once by herself and could feel the stares and the whispers that she didn’t hear before. In a way, it was as though the people of Vicinia were  _ afraid _ of her. At least, that’s what it felt like. She had always been adored before and now it was as though she was a stranger to her people. 

It was disheartening, to say the least. Kyoko wasn’t exactly sure what sort of response she’d been expecting but she had hoped that once the shock wore off, the people would go back to normal. It had been a little over a week since her announcement though and things seemed to only be getting worse. 

Usually, people would be overjoyed to see her and would gladly come up to speak with her but today it seemed like everyone was purposefully ignoring her and avoiding eye contact.

“If you look that dejected, no one is going to want to talk to you.” Chiori muttered from her side. 

“Chiori. Geez!” Kanae hushed from her other side. 

“What? I’m just saying. Looking like a kicked puppy isn’t going to make people want to approach you.” 

“It’s fine.” Kyoko muttered, trying and failing to keep the hurt out of her voice.

“It’s obviously not.” Chiori snapped. “You made your choice and now you have to deal with it. Everyone is still in shock. Just give it some time.”

“I just feel like I made the wrong choice.” Kyoko sighed. 

“You didn’t.” Kanae promised. “The people deserved to know and I think that it’ll be worth it as time passes. Don’t second guess yourself now.” 

Kyoko sighed again and continued walking, at least making an attempt to lighten the expression on her face. Chiori was right, it wasn’t a good look for her to seem so dejected. If she wasn’t confident in her decisions, how could she ever expect anyone else to be confident in them? 

“Princess Kyoko?” Kyoko looked up and noticed several men come to a stop in front of her. She was surprised to see that they were the same fishermen that she and Kuon shared a drink with at the festival. 

“We haven’t seen you since- Well, technically since your announcement the other day, but we haven’t talked since the festival.”

Kyoko flushed with embarrassment as she recalled the events of that night. “I am… so incredibly sorry for my behavior that night. It was indecent of me. I hope you can forgive me.” 

“Forgive you? Yeah, if you can’t handle your liquor, don’t be so gung ho about it next time!” The fisherman all burst out into laughter.

“You had old Matsushima here nearly keeling over with worry.”

Matsushima chuckled and then suddenly became quite serious. He looked Kyoko in the eyes and gave her a sweet yet somber smile.

“How are you holding up, Princess? I’ve been hearing many people say not-so-nice things about you ‘round town.”

Kyoko smiled thinly. “I’m okay. I know what I said was a shock. It’ll take some time for everyone to wrap their heads around it. It took me a while as well.” 

“A while?” The man Kyoko knew as Nakazawa chimed in. “You didn’t know…?”

“No.” Kyoko shook her head. “I only found out recently. It was hidden from me just as much as it was hidden from you all.” 

  
“I’m sorry to hear that Kyoko. All the same, I can’t say I don’t understand the feelings of the people. It’s not just shocking news. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks. People are stuck in their ways. Same went for us for a while too.” Matsushima stated in a melancholy tone.

“I love you, Kyoko, almost as if you were my own daughter. Most people did, but it’s hard to grasp this vision that you have for the future. Uh, no offense.” He said, glancing at Kyoko and Kanae in turn.

“You have to understand. Most of us grew up in a time before King Lory, and even before Kuu started running things in the fae territory. Things were different then and we didn’t think much in the ways of how the fae people felt. Not to say that any of us here hate them, but… you grow accustomed to things being a certain way.” Another fisherman chimed in.

“Of course,” Kyoko nodded, glad that the men respected her enough to be blunt. “I understand that. I just hope that everyone can slowly become more and more open to the idea of change. It’s always been my dream to make Vicinia a place that people were proud to call home. I just also understand that I want that pride to extend to every one of its citizens now. I believed even before I found out about my heritage that this was the important next step into the future.” 

“Yeah, at first we weren’t sure what to think of you. Or even how to speak to you when we saw each other next. But, Matsushima set us straight.” That same fisherman said with a wide smile.

Matsushima grinned. “It wasn’t much. I just reminded the boys how that Kuon of yours nearly drank us all under the table. He’s a fine man. And if half the fae can handle their liquor that well, I think we’d get along with them great.”

Nakazawa laughed. “How about it girls? Care for a drink?”

“Oh,” Kyoko smiled brightly, for the first time that day. “I would love to join you, but as you’ve clearly seen, I can’t handle my alcohol at all. Last time I ended up on the floor of a restaurant yelling about how I would get magical powers if I rolled around enough.” 

All the men broke out into laughter, some even spilling the water in their hands.

“In that case, next time you come visit us bring that Kuon boy with you. You plan on keeping him around?” Nakazawa asked as his laugh died off.

Kyoko sputtered, surprised by the sudden question. “I-I’m not… I’m not sure.” 

“Well, behind my son, I’d say he’s a good candidate for you. Although, I might be partial to anyone who looks after the princess when she’s head over heels drunk.” Nakazawa claimed, causing the men to explode in laughter yet again.

“Don’t let them get you down princess. You’re doing a mighty fine job out there.” Another fisherman piped in.

“Thank you. All of you. I appreciate you taking the time to talk to me. And I’m sure your son will find someone great, Nakazawa. Someone that will look past his obsession with amphibians.” Kyoko grinned. 

“You watch, Princess Kyoko. He’s gonna turn into one fine fisherman with all that knowledge. We’ll see you around, alright darling?” 

With that, the men all got up and headed for the docks to finish up their day of fishing.

Although, they had been incredibly truthful- to the point where it stung a bit, Kyoko was glad for the opportunity to have talked with the men. They had known her since she was a child and often brought her back to the city when she had wandered too far on her own. They weren’t nobles who were taught to speak through forced pleasantries and laced insults, they were just people. People who likely represented the majority of Vicinia in their thoughts and values. It was insightful to hear from them and encouraged Kyoko further. It would be hard for a while but she could at least be a little more certain that she had made the right decision. 

Kyoko had nearly forgotten that Kanae and Chiori were patiently waiting behind for her to finish her conversation until Kanae cleared her throat pointedly. Kyoko turned around, with a smile still on her face until she noticed that both of her handmaidens had their arms crossed and stern expressions on their faces. 

“Um…” Kyoko started, not sure what she had done to upset them.

“You did  _ what _ !?” Chiori shouted. 


	20. Chapter 20

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _ A visit to the pond ends with splashing up more than just murky water. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Getting into the final stretch now! Some of you may be very unhappy with this chapter lol

Kyoko had somehow not realized that she hadn’t told Kanae or Chiori much about the night of the festival or how she had spent her time with Kuon. Which meant that she had let it slip in front of them that she had not only gotten drunk out in public but she had gotten drunk with a group of fisherman and _ rolled around _ the _ floor _ of a restaurant in front of Kuon. Needless to say, they were _ not _ happy with her. 

The entire way back to the castle the both of them lectured her about maintaining her regal image and respect as the next ruling monarch. Kyoko didn’t have the confidence to tell them that she had already received the lecture from her father and didn’t need a repeat. 

She was lucky to think of an escape before they got inside the castle where there would be nothing to stop them from their lecturing.

There was a pond at the back of the castle, just outside the garden but secluded enough to be hard to spot from the outside. Kyoko had happened upon it on accident one day as she was futilely attempting to catch a butterfly. 

Kyoko quickly mentioned that she wanted to go there, interrupting Kanae mid-sentence and let them know that she would go alone and be back later. She was walking away before she even heard their responses. 

The pond looked just as it did the last time Kyoko had visited- however long ago that was. It was a serene and beautiful place. Within the ring of trees, just next to a forest, the pond sat. It glimmered with the reflection of the sunlight and the lush green foliage was brighter here than anywhere else in Vicinia that Kyoko had been. When she was young, she had thought the place was magical. 

Even now, it still seemed to be. It washed away her worries and sadness like rain on a window. She hoped it would continue it’s magic. 

Kyoko knelt down at the edge of the pond, looking at her distorted reflection in the water. 

Kyoko came out to the pond whenever she was upset. It was an escape, a way for her to get away from her problems but it was also a comfort. Right after Saena died, Kyoko had come out here the most often. She didn’t want to cry in the castle since she felt like people were forced to cheer her up. She also didn’t want to bother her father with her grief since he seemed just as torn up over Saena’s death as she was even though he wanted to pretend that he was fine. 

Shotaro had been there for Kyoko then. He often found her out here when they were younger and he visited much more often. Kyoko was grateful to him for even coming to visit when he knew that Saena’s death anniversary was coming up. It was so strange to her to think that once they had been inseparable. 

Sho was often frigid to Kyoko when she went to him for comfort but he always gave in and comforted her to the best of his ability. She hadn’t realized that she had started to depend on him for that. 

In retrospect, Kyoko hadn’t given much thought to many of the things that happened when they were young or how Sho felt about it. 

While Kyoko was overjoyed when their parents announced that the two of them would be married when they came of age, she never thought about how Sho would feel. She guessed she had just assumed that he would be as happy as she was. Realistically, though, he wasn’t even being given a choice in whom he would marry and spend the rest of his life with. It was right after the announcement that Sho started to be more cold to her and began ignoring her. 

Kyoko had simply looked past his sudden change in behavior and believed that if she just did more for him and acted cuter like all the other girls, that Sho would love her like how the princes did in the stories she read. But Sho wasn’t the Prince Charming anymore than Kyoko was the beautiful and perfect princess. 

It obviously wasn’t the right thing for him to cheat on her with his handmaiden but Kyoko could at least understand why he did it now. Besides, even after that, when she clearly hadn’t wanted him anywhere near her, he’d gone out of his way to be there for her. 

“Narcissism is a terrible way to die, Kyoko.” 

Kyoko frowned. Was hearing his voice a punishment for thinking about him too much? She sighed, and stared serenely into the pond. 

“Are you actually ignoring me or are you deaf!? Kyoko!”

Kyoko turned, shocked, as she actually heard Sho’s voice behind her. She hadn’t just been imagining him, he was actually standing in the clearing behind her. 

Suddenly, her vision tilted to the side and she saw Sho’s face contort with shock as she lost her balance and fell into the pond with a startled shout. 

Water splashed violently around her and Kyoko thrashed about in the pond, wailing her arms to try and stay afloat. Before she could even take a breath, she felt a hand grip around hers. As water rushed into her lungs, she was pulled up for a breath of fresh air. She felt arms wrap around her as she felt the ground under her feet yet again. 

Kyoko began coughing up the little water that entered her lungs as a strong hand supported her back. 

“Are you okay? You can breathe right? Don’t worry me like that, Kyoko.” Sho asked in a rush as he desperately checked over her.

“I’m…fine.” Kyoko gasped in between coughs as she tried to get the water out of her lungs. She pushed Sho’s hands away from her and took in a few deep breaths. The two of them were absolutely soaking head to toe from the pond water and Kyoko was sure that her hair was a mess. 

“What are you, stupid? Do you have a death wish or something, jumping off into the pond like that?” Sho seemed to have returned back to his normal self.

Kyoko glared at him as she wrung out her hair so it would stop dripping water onto her face. Sho had gone back to normal so quickly but the brief moment in which he seemed beside himself with worry was sticking in her mind.

“_ You _ were the one that startled me and made me fall. You could at least apologize. You made it seem like you actually cared for a second.” 

“Of course I care! You just happen to be _ very _ infuriating.” Sho exclaimed.

Kyoko paused as her eyes widened. For some reason, she hadn’t been expecting that response at all. Especially without his usual sarcasm. She stared at him for a moment before averting her eyes as she continued to attempt to dry her clothing.

“What are you doing here, anyways? I told you to stop coming here unannounced. How did you even find me?” 

“After the announcement the other day, I knew you’d feel like shit. So, I figured I’d grace you with my presence. When I was told you weren’t in the castle, there was only one other place you’d be without leaving castle grounds. You act like I didn’t have to babysit you for most of my childhood.” 

Kyoko narrowed her eyes, she wasn’t understanding him at all. “You didn’t have to come check on me. Not now and not then. I never asked you to. Besides, I thought you hated me.” 

“Hate- Why would I hate you?” Sho questioned, seeming completely confused. He looked at Kyoko for a moment and when her eyes narrowed skeptically, he sighed. 

“Things just changed. I was forced to be your fiance and you started acting… weird. I just wanted more, alright? I don’t know but-” Sho paused and bit his bottom lip. “Look about Shouko, she’s gone, okay? I have a new handmaiden, her name’s Mimomi or something like that…” 

“If you didn’t want to marry me, you could have just said so.” Kyoko spat. “You didn’t have to… I just don’t understand why you…” 

“Do you want to marry him? That prince you’ve been seeing?” Sho said clearly avoiding her question.

“W-what?” Kyoko asked, feeling oddly nervous all of a sudden. She felt strange having Sho ask her. 

“It just seems like that’s the direction you’re headed. So… is that what you want?”

Kyoko swallowed nervously, Sho was looking directly at her and she wondered if he’d be able to hear how fast her heart was pounding if he got any closer. 

She suddenly didn’t know what to say and she couldn’t answer him. 

“What if I said not to?” 

Sho moved in closer to Kyoko, and she felt like jumping back into the pond.

“I’m not usually a jealous person. But my blood has been boiling ever since you admitted that he kissed you. We were _ engaged _ and I never even got to do that.” 

“Wha- you said I was _ boring _. I thought you didn’t want to-“ 

Sho leaned forward and Kyoko’s words got caught in her throat as she stared up at him. Water was dripping down from his hair and onto her bare feet. He stared at her for a moment, studying her face with an intensity in his expression that she had never seen before. He leaned in further, angling his head slightly and all Kyoko could do in this suddenly bizarre situation was stare up at him. Before she even fully comprehended what Sho was doing, she felt his lips press softly against her own, lingering for a moment before he pulled away. Kyoko had closed her eyes on instinct but when she opened them again and saw how close Sho suddenly was to her, her heart began pounding in double time.

“What if I said not to, Kyoko?”

“Kyoko, if you think you can just run off without- What is _ that _ doing here?” Chiori interrupted.

Kyoko’s eyes moved over to Chiori, who was taking in the entire scene. Kyoko could see the questions already forming in her mind and immediately regretted everything. Before Kyoko could get a word in Chiori was marching over to her.

She grabbed Kyoko by the hand and gave Sho a hard glare before turning back towards the castle. Kyoko didn’t fight against Chiori, but she did look back over at Sho one last time before getting dragged inside.

Without delay, Chiori had led Kyoko upstairs and before Kyoko could fully grasp everything, a bath was already being prepared. Chiori was muttering to herself angrily, not bothering to acknowledge Kyoko, for which she was admittedly grateful for. A few seconds later, Kanae entered the bathing room and Chiori’s top seemed to finally blow.

“You won’t _ believe _ what I just witnessed. I go looking for our princess, who finds it classy to roll on restaurant floors, only to see her in the arms of her ex-betrothed. And maybe I would have forgiven that if she wasn’t also _ soaking wet. _ And I hope you’re damn proud of me because I held off until you arrived to ask questions. But now that you’re here.” Chiori turned to look at Kyoko. “Answers. Now.”

“Um…” Kyoko shifted uncomfortably. “I accidentally fell into the pond.” 

Kanae walked over and began helping Kyoko undress for the bath. “With Sho…?”

“He suddenly appeared behind me, surprised me, I then fell into the pond and he helped to get me out before I drowned to death in this dress. That’s all.” Kyoko explained. She was feeling oddly defensive and the weird look on Kanae’s face ever since Chiori had mentioned Sho was not helping. 

“So, why, exactly would you be in his arms, Kyoko? What happened?” Chiori questioned, helping Kyoko into the bath. 

Kyoko didn’t appreciate Chiori’s suspicious tone and felt herself get even more defensive. For some reason, she really didn’t want them to know what happened. Neither of them had ever liked Sho, so he had never stood a chance with them. 

“Sho isn’t a bad person, you know.” Kyoko found herself saying. “He’s always checked in on me and made sure that I was okay in his own way ever since we were little. He’s done some terrible things to me but he’s always there for me when I need someone. So, just… leave it alone, okay?” 

Chiori made a clearly disgusted face at Kyoko, but said nothing all the same. Rather, she shared a look with Kanae who simply shook her head. Chiori sighed and, in silence, the two handmaidens helped Kyoko wash up. It felt awkward with all the silence, but what else was there to say? Kyoko found herself biting down hard while they helped her into some dry clothes.

Though Kyoko had spoken instinctively, the odd looks that both Chiori and Kanae had given her made her pause and think about what she had said. It had become such a routine for her to defend Sho when they were together. She constantly excused his behavior and made herself believe that he still cared about her and had true feelings for her. She thought that after she caught him cheating on her, she had gotten rid of those instincts, but clearly she hadn’t. The only difference between now and then was that she actually _ believed _ the words that she was saying. Even after she had basically thrown him out of the castle, Sho still kept coming back to check on her even when she clearly didn’t want him there. It only made her realize that she still cared about him greatly. 

“I’m going to go eat now.” Kyoko muttered quickly, stumbling over her words as she hurried to leave. 

She opened the door to her room and stepped out into the hallway. She froze in her tracks though, as she realized that someone was leaning against the wall opposite to her door.

Sho looked up and noticed Kyoko standing there. She watched his gaze shift from her to somewhere behind her, likely her handmaidens. Kyoko wasn’t sure if their voices were audible through the door but she suddenly found herself wondering how much he had heard. 

Sho stepped forward, meeting eyes with Kyoko and the building tension between them was causing her palms to sweat. She opened her mouth, anxiously trying to diffuse the tension but before she could get a word out, Sho spoke first. 

“Kyoko, I know that there’s no reason to trust me. I get that. But, I mean it, okay? I don’t want you to give up on me just yet. Oh and um…” Sho fumbled around his pockets. This was the first time Kyoko had seen him like this in a long time.

His hand settled on his breast pocket and he brought out her old engagement ring and another, newer looking ring that had a similar design. Kyoko was shocked to see that he still held onto the old one. Last she saw of that ring, she threw it at him in a fit of rage.

“I’m not giving the old one back to you because it’ll just be a reminder of the old me. I want to start over fresh, with a new image of me in your mind. So… hold onto this and think about it.” Sho grasped Kyoko’s hand and placed the new ring in her palm, closing her fingers carefully around it before letting go. He looked up after and grew flushed as he noticed Kanae and Chiori were still there.

“Anyways,” Sho began, clearing his throat. “I’m staying here for a while, so there’s no rush. Just… I don’t hate you, okay?”

“… Okay.” Kyoko nodded, unable to think of anything else to say. She had never expected for Sho to ever talk to her with such sincerity. 

Sho gave Kyoko a curt nod and turned to head down the corridor. As Kyoko watched him leave, she suddenly noticed the trail of water that followed him.

Kyoko wasn’t sure how long she had bathed but Sho must have been waiting the entire time that she was in her room, just standing there soaking wet with murky water. It was at that moment, watching her first love walk away from her that she truly looked at him in a different light. It wasn’t that she had necessarily been thinking that he wasn’t being genuine but she had realized _ just _how serious he really was. For the first time, Sho actually seemed like he was in love with her. 

She had no idea how she was supposed to feel about that. 


	21. Chapter 21

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _ A new marriage interview brings forth new conflicts. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stay safe and healthy!

Kuon couldn’t stop himself from smiling, no matter how hard he tried. Today was the day. He stood in the mirror and looked himself over. 

This was definitely wrong. 

A knock came to his door, but it burst open before he could even utter out a response.

“Kuon! What in the hell are you wearing? You’re going to a  _ marriage  _ interview in  _ that _ ?” 

Yashiro’s voice got higher and higher with each sentence. Kuon looked again at the leathery black outfit he was wearing. Yashiro wasn’t wrong.

“I know, I know. I just… Can’t find the right outfit.” Kuon sighed.

He looked over at Yashiro who was shaking his head violently.

“Sit down, and let me work my magic or you’re going to be late.”

Without hesitation, Kuon sat on his bed and watched Yashiro fumble through the mess that was his once organized closet. In the blink of an eye, despite the jungle he had to go through, Yashiro had found an outfit.

“Okay, put this on.”

Kuon glanced over at the clothes and stepped out of his own. He grabbed the white loose shirt and navy blue tunic, putting those on first. 

After putting on the rest of the clothes, he looked once more into the mirror.

“There. Now you look like someone worthy of dating the princess.” Yashiro stated matter-of-factly. “Now, come on. Your mother and father are waiting for you near the carriage.”

“Carriage?” Kuon repeated, as he was being dragged outside by Yashiro.

He followed Yashiro until he reached his parents’ home, with a grand carriage waiting out front.

“Um, who is this for?” Kuon asked.

His parents turned to him from where they were standing, talking near the large carriage, and his mother’s face lit up in excitement. She’d styled her hair and put on what Kuon knew to be one of her best outfits and he doubted that his father had chosen to wear his own outfit by himself. 

“Oh, Kuon!” Julienna cried. “You look  _ so _ handsome. You’re like the spitting image of your father back when he was your age! I’m so excited for today. I can hardly contain myself.”

Kuu seemed to notice his son’s cry for help in his expression and approached the two, gently pulling Julienna away from Kuon when she started to meticulously fix his hair. 

“Pardon your mother. You know how she gets. She’s been waiting a long time for today.”

“Yeah, well you shouldn’t have been mother. I’ve gone on plenty of dates before today.” Kuon muttered. 

“Oh, hush.” Julienna snapped. “This date is one of the most important in your  _ entire _ life. It makes all other dates pale in comparison. And it’s with the  _ princess _ !” 

“Her  _ name _ is Kyoko, mother. And she’s not  _ just _ the princess. I’m just going on another date with a particularly great girl. And I am  _ not _ going on this date in that thing.” Kuon stated pointing at the carriage. 

His mother huffed. “What did I tell you about calling her Kyoko? In any event, you absolutely  _ are _ going on your date in this carriage I got for you. What were you planning to do?  _ Walk _ to the human territory and arrive at the princess’ door on foot with nothing to offer? You’re lucky I don’t send you with a dowry but your father managed to talk me out of it. Apparently,  _ that isn’t how courting happens anymore _ .” 

“No, mother,” Kuon spoke through gritted teeth. “I was planning on riding Mio there. Would that have been so bad?  _ This?  _ Kyoko would have a laughing fit. Father, come on.”

Kuon looked to his father with pleading eyes.

Kuu glanced between his son and wife with obvious conflict in his eyes. Eventually, he decided to take pity on his son and Kuon felt eternal gratitude to him. 

“Julienna, perhaps it is a bit much for a first formal date.” Before Julienna could interrupt as she so clearly wanted to, Kuu continued quickly. “It may be put to better use if it were saved for their wedding.” 

“Father!” Kuon cried, embarrassment flooding his cheeks.

“Let the boy ride the horse for now and since we both took the day away from work to see him off, why don’t we go and enjoy a date of our own?”

Julienna raised an eyebrow as she considered Kuu’s offer.

“ _ Fine _ . It  _ has _ been a while since we’ve had time for a romantic date of our own.” 

“It has.” Kuu agreed and leaned in to kiss his wife lovingly. 

“Yes, yes you love each other very much. Now if you’re done embarrassing your one and only child, I’d like to be on my way.” Kuon groaned.

Yashiro nodded his head. 

“Yeah, you really have to get going, or you’ll be late.”

Kuon pointed at Yashiro who stood up in his defense and looked over at his mother. 

She had tears in her eyes as she looked at him and her smile had quickly turned watery. Kuon sighed and stepped forward to wrap her in a hug. 

“Don’t be nervous, you’ve made so many mistakes already that she has to  _ really  _ like you to have agreed to this marriage interview.” His mother promised before she pulled him tightly to her and leaned in to his ear. “And if you try any funny business today, I will end you myself. She’s the  _ princess _ . Keep your hands to yourself.” 

Kuon couldn’t help himself from chuckling and ran to the stables to grab Mio.

~-~

Kuon stood in front of the castle door for a very long time. He debated knocking on the door several times. He had rushed over on Mio, so he was a bit early and figured he’d take the time to think to himself. Which, in all honesty, wasn’t a very smart idea. 

The more he thought about it, the more unprepared he realized he was for this interview. What would he say? How would she react to him? They hadn’t spoken to each other since she found out he assaulted a Vicinia citizen, and that made him admittedly a little nervous. 

As he was debating turning tail and running off, the door suddenly opened. Their main chamberlain, Sebastian, held it open for Kyoko’s two handmaidens.

Kyoko talked non-stop about them, but now that he was looking at them in person, he couldn’t tell which was Chiori and which was Kanae.

“Prince Kuon, you’ve arrived.” The longer haired one greeted him with a curtsy.

“About time. If you stood her up, I was gonna hunt you down myself.” Kuon immediately felt the short-haired one was Chiori.

This was his chance to make a first impression.

“Um, yeah… I, uh, got held up by my parents. They were eager to see me off.”

The one Kuon assumed was Kanae simply gave him an unconvincing smile as Chiori scoffed at him.

“Your parents? And I thought you said Kyoko was bad for having her handmaidens do everything for-”

Kanae nudged Chiori in the side, cutting her off, but Kuon could already tell she wasn’t his number one fan.

“I hope your interview goes well,” Kanae said as she dragged Chiori away alongside her.

After they walked off, Sebastian bowed to Kuon. 

“The princess will be down shortly.”

Kuon nodded his head. “Cool. So, do you want me to wait here or-”

Before he could finish his sentence, Sebastian stalked off without any regard to Kuon.

“Or, I’ll just talk to myself apparently.” Kuon muttered.

He was really feeling out of his element here, and decided that he should have turned tail when he had the chance. He looked around the foyer that he had only briefly seen once before. It was much larger than he remembered, and the shining armor suits on either side of the staircase were slightly intimidating. He bit his bottom lip, once again debating about leaving before Kyoko saw him, when he heard footsteps approaching.

Kuon looked up at the top of the staircase and saw Kyoko standing there in a yellow dress that could really only be described as a gown with pink embroidered flowers down the front and on the delicate sleeves. The sun shone brightly through the window behind her, casting her in an ethereal glow. She looked radiant, stunning, and every bit like the princess that she was meant to be. 

“Wow. Um, hey.” Kuon managed to choke out. 

“Hi…” Kyoko greeted a bit awkwardly. She cleared her throat and began making her way down and Kuon noticed that she was focusing entirely on each step as she descended. 

Eventually, she arrived at the bottom of the staircase and was right in front of Kuon. 

“Princess…” Kuon bit his bottom lip as he bowed in front of her.

He had no idea what he was doing. He was making it awkward. He could feel it.

“Oh my goodness,” Kyoko yelped and she stepped forward to push Kuon back into a standing position. “You don’t have to bow to me, we’re… friends aren’t we? No need for the formalities.” 

“Uh… Friends. Yeah…”

Kyoko shook her head frantically. “No! Sorry! I mean… we aren’t friends. So…”

Kuon slowly nodded his head. “Uh-huh… We’re…?”

“Doing a marriage interview?” Kyoko tried, and the look on her face mirrored how Kuon felt. 

Kuon cleared his throat. 

“Right…? So, princess, do your guests usually just stand in your foyer or…” 

Kuon tried his best to return to his normal self.

“Oh!” Kyoko sputtered. “Oh, right. My apologies. It’s such a nice day that I had my servants set up an area for us in the sun room.” 

Sun room. It sounded fancy.

Kyoko smiled and the awkwardness between them passed as if it had never been there to begin with. 

“Right this way.” She said and, without hesitation, grabbed Kuon’s hand and began leading him through a door and down a hallway.

Kuon was too stunned to do anything but mindlessly follow after her, not even able to take in what he was seeing around him since he was so distracted by the feeling of her hand in his. 

After a while of turning down hallways and going through doors, the two finally emerged in a large room nearly covered entirely with glass. Outside, Kuon could see the gardens that Kyoko loved talking about and the vibrant colors of the flowers made him realize why she loved it so much. 

The glass on some of the window frames were propped open, allowing a gentle breeze ripe with the scent of grass and flora to waft through the air. 

In the center of the room there was a wooden table with two chairs opposite each other and a rather beautiful arrangement of flowers sat in the middle. 

“Here we are!” Kyoko announced happily, staring out the window to the garden. She’d let go of his hand as she moved away from him and Kuon already missed the warmth of it. 

“This is the sunroom? It’s beautiful.”

“It’s  _ magical _ in here.” Kyoko sighed before she turned and approached the table. “They’ll be serving us in a moment, so we should go ahead and take our seats.” 

Kuon watched in a daze, as Kyoko approached the table and by the time she was dragging the chair out to sit in it, he suddenly snapped out of it and remembered his manners. It was like he could  _ hear _ his mother shouting at him in his brain. 

“Kyoko, please. Let me.” He spoke hurriedly and carefully pulled the chair out for her to sit in. 

Kyoko glanced at him as if she hadn’t expected that at all but sat down gracefully, pulling her dress in underneath her. Kuon rounded the table to sit down in his own seat. 

“So, I’ve gone on dates, but never a  _ marriage interview. _ It sounds very… official. What is it you usually do during these things?”

Kyoko cocked her head to the side as she thought. “I’ve only had one official marriage interview before this. I was engaged most of my life so these are new for me as well. In the previous one we were just meeting for the first time so we just got to know each other.”

“We know each other pretty well already. So, do we skip the talking and head straight to…?” Kuon purposefully let himself trail off.

It was worth seeing Kyoko’s response.

Kyoko blinked. “Straight to what? Food? They’ll probably bring it out soon. I could call Sebastian if you’d like.” 

Kuon burst out into laughter. Of all the possible responses, he certainly wasn’t expecting that one. 

“No, no that’s fine. Oh, that reminds me. I saw Chiori and Kanae on my way in.” Kuon said in between bouts of laughter.

“Oh, did you?” Kyoko asked with interest. 

“Yeah. They didn’t seem too keen on me. Well, at least… Chiori… I believe? She definitely seemed like she wanted to bite my head off. It seems you’ve talked a lot about me but not all good things I suppose.”

Kyoko flushed. “Sorry… I tell them everything and Chiori is a little hot headed sometimes. My apologies if she said anything rude to you.” 

Kuon waved his hand.

“No, it’s fine. It’s just a stark contrast from how my people view you, to how yours view me… But I’ll change their minds soon enough. No one can outstand the charm of the mighty Fae Prince.”

Kuon added on his best smile at the end of his statement to emphasize it.

Kyoko giggled. “Oh, I’m sure of it. People are already getting over the incident from before. You’re a natural politician.” 

“You think?” Kuon asked. He felt a small tinge of shame and guilt from her reminding him of that incident but brushed it off. 

“Do you think I’d be a good king, Kyoko?” Kuon had a serious tone and looked at her with pleading eyes. 

Kyoko sighed. “To be honest, I don’t know what makes a good ruler. I don’t think there’s a formula or an answer for it. In my opinion, a good ruler is someone who cares about others first. Someone that’s selfless and would do anything for the people they care about. So… I think those things describe you. I think that you have what it  _ takes _ to be a good king.” 

Kuon did everything he could to hide his face from her. He was blushing, and definitely didn’t need Kyoko seeing that side of him. 

“So… Princess, don’t you find just sitting and talking so…” He paused, searching for the word. “Tedious?”

Kyoko frowned in confusion. “What do you mean?” 

“Let’s walk and talk. It’ll be awhile before they bring out the food, right? And I’ve never been in this place so I’d like a grand tour.” Kuon smiled.

“Oh, of course!” Kyoko beamed and stood. “This is your first time being in the castle, isn’t it? There are so many things to show you!” 

Kuon followed Kyoko as she made her way to the hallway. She didn’t grab his hand this time as she made her way down the corridor and he had to stop himself from pouting. 

After a few twists and turns that Kuon didn’t bother paying attention to, they came to… another hallway.

Kyoko had stopped and turned around to him with a beaming smile on her face. He didn’t know why until he looked up to see the many portraits of the past royal families that lived in the castle.

“Why here?” Kuon found himself asking.

“You asked about being a good king. I like to look at this wall to remind myself of all the people that came before me. None of them were perfect, and not all of them were good, but most of them just wanted the best for Vicinia. I guess it’s important to realize that they lived lives like us and were real people.” 

He looked up at the portraits and couldn’t help but steal a glance at Kyoko when she wasn’t looking. He could tell that these paintings really calmed her down and it helped calm him down just looking at her. 

“Hey, where’s your painting?” Kuon questioned.

“My portrait will be added when I’m coronated as the Queen of Vicinia.” Kyoko explained and her voice sounded far away, lost in thoughts. 

Kuon nodded his head in understanding.

“Well, I’m sure yours will be beautiful,” Kuon stated nonchalantly. “So, where do you spend most of your time? I’d love to see that.”

“Oh, my private quarters are upstairs. When I’m at the castle I’m either in the gardens or up there. My study is up there as well, I’ll show you. I’ve taken so many books from the library that I practically have my own personal collection now.”

Kuon stayed silent. There was a part of him that wanted to tell her he simply meant where her favorite spot was. However, there was a more yearning part of him that wanted to see her room. So, Kuon simply nodded his head and followed Kyoko up the stairs.

Kyoko, clearly seeing nothing wrong with this situation, led Kuon to her bedroom door. Without looking back, she opened the door and stepped inside, but Kuon didn’t follow her. He was hesitant. After all, this was Kyoko.  _ Princess  _ Kyoko at that. And she was willingly inviting him inside her bedroom. 

He did everything in his power to keep his mind from wandering and stepped inside.

“So, this is your room, huh?” He looked around the large room. She had plenty of dressers, a huge bed big enough to fit a whole household of people, and he could see a door extending into what he assumed was her study as well as another open doorway which seemed to serve as her closet. 

“This is it.” Kyoko announced, looking around like she was seeing it for the first time “It always seems so large without Chiori and Kanae in it. When I was younger I used to beg them to break rules and sleep with me in here. Even now, I still ask them to from time to time.” 

Kuon imagined baby Kyoko begging her two handmaidens and hid his smile away from her. He walked over to her bed and sat down. 

“Comfy. I guess nothing but the best for the princess,” Kuon stated as he started moving her pillows around, trying to get even more comfortable. 

“I suppose.” Kyoko muttered. “It’s really too much for me, though. It gets lonely sometimes.” 

“Are you inviting me to spend the night, Kyoko?” Kuon said, adding in a charming smile.

Kyoko’s gaze snapped over to him and her eyes were wide as she blushed furiously. “N-no! I was not. That would be indecent.” 

Kuon continued to look at her and he saw her expression shift as if she’d just realized that having him in her room to begin with was indecent but it was too late to backtrack. 

“No worries, my mother already warned me to keep my hands to myself. Of course, that rule doesn’t apply to you, Kyoko. So, I’m open season.”

Kyoko sputtered in shock, blushing an even fiercer red, and her mouth formed soundlessly over letters that wouldn’t come out.

Kuon realized he had really gotten to her and quickly stood up from her bed.

“Kyoko, calm down. I don’t expect you to do anything.”

He walked over to her and pat her on the head. 

“I’m perfectly fine with you just standing there looking cute.” Kuon moved his hand and bent down to kiss Kyoko on the head.

Kuon, admittedly was a bit excited to see what her expression would be like. Just as he was leaning back, he heard someone clear their throat.

Turning to the door, Kuon could see a man with blonde hair leaning in the doorway with his arms crossed.

“Making good friends, Kyoko?” The man questioned.

“Shotaro?!” Kyoko gasped and her eyes had gone wide. “What are you doing here?” 

“What do you mean, Kyoko? Have you forgotten that I’m staying here, already?”

Kuon looked between the two, unable to get a word in. The name Shotaro sounded familiar to him but he couldn’t quite put his finger on where he had heard it before. Whoever he was, he blatantly ignored Kuon, and that was starting to piss him off.

“I didn’t…” Kyoko seemed lost for words. “I didn’t realize you were still here.” 

“Hello.” Kuon edged himself in. “Who might you be?”

The man named Shotaro looked at him for the first time and there was nothing but disdain and obvious contempt in his eyes. He turned back to Kyoko with a scowl.

“The  _ fae prince _ ? Really, Kyoko?” 

“His name is  _ Kuon _ , Shotaro.” Kyoko corrected and her expression had darkened significantly. “Did you need something? As you can see, I’m kind of busy right now. I have a guest.” 

Despite what she was saying, Kuon suddenly felt like he was the one interrupting the two of them. Even so, this arrogant bastard was really starting to irk him.

Shotaro glanced at Kuon again and he rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I have eyes. Ears, too. I was trying to have the chef make me some more pudding but all the kitchen staff is busy. They said it was for  _ you _ but I couldn’t find you anywhere so I went back to my room but then I  _ swore _ I heard a man’s voice coming from here and I had to see it for myself.  _ Princess Kyoko  _ with a  _ man _ in her room. And here you have all the public thinking that you’re some innocent daffodil.” 

Kyoko huffed. “Shotaro! It’s not like that, we were just-” 

“Shotaro! Now I remember.” Kuon said, with sudden realization, cutting off Kyoko. “You’re that good-for-nothing that cheated on Kyoko, aren't you? What? You’ve come begging for forgiveness, hoping that she’ll let you back in? Do you  _ honestly _ have nothing better to do?”

Shotaro crossed his arms and a smirk tugged at his lips that immediately made Kuon want to erase it.

“That sounds like a whole lot of none of your business to me. I’ve been staying here for the past week so, to  _ me _ , it sounds like I have a lot more reason to be here than you do and I still have the sense to not go around giving Kyoko a bad reputation by casually being in her room like this. I mean, what if someone else were to see the two of you? The  _ Princess of Vicinia _ and the  _ Fae Prince with anger issues. _ ” 

Kuon let out a long breath in his attempt to stay calm. Instead of letting his anger show, which he’s sure Sho would’ve enjoyed, he threw on one of his signature dazzling smiles.

“Well, marriage interviews can go so many different ways Shotaro. I believe Kyoko phrased it best when she said we were busy. Now, if you would excuse us.” 

Kuon stepped forward almost blocking Kyoko’s view of the two of them.

“Oh?” 

Shotaro’s smirk broadened and he stepped further into the room. When he was an uncomfortably close distance to Kuon, he sidestepped and walked past him. Kuon turned to watch him stiffly as Shotaro approached Kyoko and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. 

“A marriage interview, huh? That’s fun. I was there for the last one, too. Isn’t that right, Kyoko?” 

Shotaro grinned and hugged a very uncomfortable looking Kyoko closer to his side, looking down at her. He looked back at Kuon smugly. 

“I’ve known Kyoko here almost my whole life. She’s always been  _ very _ honest. I don’t know if you realized that about her. But… sometimes she’s almost  _ too _ honest. I mean… there are certain things you just don’t do in a marriage interview. Telling that suitor from before that she kissed someone else probably broke his poor heart. Though, I guess it was the right thing to do. He might have gotten the wrong idea about it if he found out later.”

“Shotaro, what are you-” Kyoko tried to ask, squirming in his grasp.

Shotaro spoke over her. “So, I think it’s only  _ right _ that you tell the fae prince here if you haven’t already.” 

“Oh, I imagine this will be good Shotaro. I think, actually, I’d rather hear it from you than the princess.” 

Kuon stepped closer to Shotaro with every other word.

“Sho,  _ stop it _ .” Kyoko hissed but Shotaro wasn’t even paying attention to her anymore. 

“Is that so? So, she really didn’t tell you? I assumed she would have by now. She didn’t waste any time telling the other one that she kissed what was it…  _ Kren _ ? I wonder why that is.” Shotaro wondered, looking directly at Kuon and cocking his head to the side sarcastically. 

“Maybe it’s because she  _ really _ didn’t want you to know that we kissed the other day. Or that I’ve been staying here at all.” 

Kuon looked over at Kyoko. Shotaro was lying, right? Kyoko wouldn’t do that after he had spilled his heart to her, right? He stared into her eyes hoping that she would give him any sign that this was a lie, but she didn’t.

He looked one last time at Shotaro, and took another deep breath. 

“You and Shotaro are a lot more similar than you cared to admit, huh? I wish you the best, Princess Kyoko.”

Kuon formally bowed to Kyoko, quickly blinking away the stinging in his eyes.

Without another glance, or another word, Kuon turned on his heel and stormed out of the castle.


	22. Chapter 22

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _ Who gives a fuck about decorum when there's love involved. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We love you all! Please stay safe and healthy! And, in these trying times, please take your mind off the mess of the world and enjoy reading

Kyoko couldn’t believe what had just happened. Somehow, she had gotten so wrapped up in the upcoming marriage interview that Shotaro still being at the castle had completely slipped her mind. She had been so stupid and, as a result, everything had been ruined. She’d been having such a good time with Kuon, free from their usual arguments and finally facing each other as themselves, truly and completely. 

  
But because of her oversight, Sho had appeared and told Kuon everything. 

  
Her heart broke as she saw the hurt in Kuon’s eyes as he stiffened, clearly shutting her out, and his face was devoid of emotion. 

“You and Shotaro are a lot more similar than you cared to admit, huh? I wish you the best, Princess Kyoko.”

He bowed formally to her, making her even more sad, and she couldn’t tell if she imagined the shine in his eyes or not as he turned to leave. Without another glance or word to either of them, Kuon left, slamming the door shut behind him. 

Kyoko was frozen in place. Her blood ran cold with a thick sense of dread and she had a horrible feeling in her stomach. It felt a lot like guilt. 

“I expected more of a reaction. I’m a little disappointed.” Sho tsked from beside her. 

His touch around her felt like acid, cold and wrong, and Kyoko hurried to shove him away from her. The shock of the situation was fading and anger was quickly replacing it. 

“I _ cannot _ believe you just said all of that to him!” She shouted. “Why did you do that!?” 

Sho raised his eyebrows at her as if he hadn’t been expecting that reaction at all and his confusion was only making her angrier. 

“What? You were going to tell him about it anyways, weren’t you? What’s the difference?” He frowned.

“Of course I was, but you shouldn’t have done that!” Kyoko insisted. She really couldn’t believe that Sho had taken it that far. “You told him like that on purpose, with no context at all!” 

Sho’s expression changed and he looked less confused and more irritated. He crossed his arms. 

“So, what? What _ is _ the context, Kyoko?” 

“That you… y-you kissed _ me _!” Kyoko sputtered and she could feel her face going red but she was too angry to care about that. “That I didn’t kiss you back and that it didn’t mean anything. The way you said it… you purposefully made it so he would understand it wrong!” 

Shotaro narrowed his eyes. “It didn’t mean anything? It meant something to _ me _ , Kyoko. I don’t want you to marry him. I want you to give me another chance. I _ told _ you that.” 

Kyoko stilled as she realized she hadn’t actually thought about what Sho had said at all. It had shocked her too much in the moment to realize that he was being serious for her to actually think over what he said. He truly wanted another chance with her. 

Maybe Sho had a point earlier. She _ hadn’t _ told Kuon about that kiss or about _ Sho _ because she was avoiding facing her own feelings. 

Though, she had to admit it to both herself and Shotaro, because they deserved it, what she truly felt. 

“I’m sorry.” Kyoko shook her head, she had looked down without realizing it and forced herself to meet Sho’s gaze. “I was in love with you when we were younger and I wanted you to be in love with me so _ badly _ back then that I think that want stuck around. It was all I knew for so long.” 

Shotaro looked scared. 

“Kyoko.” He started but Kyoko held up a hand.

“Let me finish. Please. When you kissed me the other day, I was confused. I’ll admit that. I went back to that person that I was before and I forgot who I’ve become. I’m not the girl chasing after you, begging for attention and affection anymore. I don’t have those same feelings for you anymore. I really value you as a friend. You’ve _ always _ been there for me when I needed you and I can never express to you how much I appreciate that.” 

Sho winced as if Kyoko had physically hit him. 

“You don’t have to say it, I already know.” He pleaded as if hearing the words come from her mouth would be the fatal blow. “You love him.” 

“I’m sorry.” Kyoko apologized and she truly meant it. “You’ll make some girl _ very _ happy one day, Shotaro.” 

Sho swallowed and turned away. He wandered over to her jewelry case and stared at the replacement engagement ring he’d given her for a long moment. “No, _ I’m _ the one that’s sorry. I hurt you way more than you ever deserved. I’m just glad to still be in your life. You should um… you should probably go.” 

Kyoko frowned and watched as he picked up the ring and put it in his pocket. “What?” 

Sho glanced at her from over his shoulder and she could tell from his expression that he was trying not to cry.

“You should go.” Sho repeated. “Go after him. He seemed pissed. A guy like that is probably only going to get more pissed the longer he thinks about you being here with me.” 

Kyoko blinked in surprise. She hadn’t even thought that Sho was capable of being selfless and yet here he was, sacrificing his own happiness for hers. It made her want to cry, herself. 

“Okay.” Kyoko nodded, slipping on shoes that she could run in. “Okay… I’ll get going then.” 

“I’ll be gone in the morning. Don’t think you won’t see me again. Your chef still makes the best chestnut pudding in Vicinia.” Sho attempted a smile and Kyoko was grateful for it.

She nodded again. “Thank you.” She said on her way out. 

Kyoko opened the door to her room and ran down the hallway. She heard someone calling her name and looked over her shoulder to see her handmaidens running after her frantically.

“Kyoko!?” Kanae cried.

“Where are you _ going _!?” Chiori demanded. 

Kyoko stopped for a moment, figuring she should at least tell someone where she was headed. 

“We heard yelling, is everything okay?” Kanae asked. 

“Kuon just stormed out of here not that long ago. What happened?” Chiori added.

“I don’t have time to explain! I’ll tell you everything later! I’m going to Sylva!” Kyoko rushed and before either of her handmaidens had time to react she spun around again and ran out of the castle. 

She had to set things straight once and for all. 

~-~

Kuon was a ball of anger and sadness. He wanted to cry from the betrayal, and he also wanted to knock Shotaro into next week. He rode poor Mio as fast as he could to get out of Vicinia. He was grateful for Mio knowing her way around here better than he did, because the last thing Kuon was doing, was paying attention to the road. The scene replayed over and over again in his head. Shotaro’s smug grin, Kyoko standing there completely frozen, and the feelings of hurt and resentment welling up inside of him.

When he stormed out of the castle, he noticed Chiori and Kanae, but brushed past them as quickly as possible. If Chiori had made another sarcastic comment, he wasn’t sure if he’d break down or lose his temper.

Mio brought Kuon across the border into Sylva, and he pulled back her reins. No need for him to rush back even more so that he had to tell his mother everything. He was angry at Kyoko, but his mother was a much more ruthless woman than he sometimes cared to admit.

Kuon hopped off of Mio and allowed her to relax around the greenery while he tried to gather his thoughts. He had to figure out how to get out of this… thing he got himself into with Kyoko. If he was going to rule Sylva one day, he couldn’t remain angry at her, but he knew there was no longer a future for them.

After all, Kyoko wasn’t the type of girl to kiss just anyone. The image of Kyoko and Sho sharing a kiss popped into Kuon’s mind and, in his anger, he struck a tree. Mio jumped slightly at the sound and Kuon heard the sudden clearing of someone’s throat.

“What?” Kuon didn’t bother turning around. He didn’t care about whoever it was. 

“That bad?” 

Yashiro. Kuon muttered out a curse. It just had to be someone he could cry in front of. Kuon simply shook his head, unable to meet his friend’s eyes. 

“Kuon. Your hand is bleeding.” Yashiro huffed. “Please don’t make it a habit to go around punching trees.” 

Kuon looked down at his hand and shrugged his shoulders. He could deal with that later, as of right now, he wanted to get as far away from Yashiro as possible.

“I’ll be fine. Go back home.” Kuon stated with his back still turned to Yashiro.

“_ Boo _!” A sudden voice shouted from behind them. “Oh shit, he wasn’t looking. Damn.” 

And of course Kijima would be here too, Kuon couldn’t catch a break today.

“We were trying to wait up for you to hear about your fancy date with the princess when you got back. I personally thought you’d be back _ much _ later than this. But Yashiro insisted otherwise. Something, about… what was it? Decor? Decorative?” 

“_ Decorum. _” Yashiro corrected tiredly. 

“Right, that was the word!” 

“Would you two care to have your mindless conversation elsewhere?” Kuon responded, beginning to get frustrated with the pair.

“Kuon, what happened?” Yashiro insisted. 

“Wait, something happened? Like something bad?” Kijima gasped. “What? Were you trying to get handsy or something? What happened to _ decorum _?”

Kuon sighed. Even if he could convince Yashiro to go, Kijima would stick around like a flea.

“She doesn’t want to be with me. She chose someone else, and I wasted my time going there. But it’s fine… As long as she’s… happy. I guess.”

“It is obviously _ not _ fine.” Yashiro frowned. “And what do you mean she _ chose someone else _?”

“That doesn’t make any sense. The princess is head over heels for you, I know it. I’ve seen it myself.” Kijima argued. 

“Do you think, then, that Kyoko would just kiss someone else if she was truly _ head over heels _ for me? Do you think that’s something she does lightly?”

Kuon turned around, letting his anger encompass him.

“Kyoko isn’t the type of girl to hide things from someone she cares about. She doesn’t kiss just anyone who gets close to her. And she’s _ too honest _. So…” Kuon lowered his voice, looking down on the ground.

“If it was an accident- If she loved me- She would’ve told me. And not have to hide behind… him.”

“Wait _ what _!?” Kijima shouted.

Yashiro’s face was filled with concern. “Kuon…” 

“But it’s fine!” Kuon blurted out after a long moment of silence.

“No, no, _ no _ .” Kijima held up a hand and his face was stony. “Back up. Are you saying that the princess _ played _ you? Is that what you’re saying right now? She kissed someone _ else _ ? _ Who _?” 

“That ex-fiancé of hers…” Kuon paused and then started chuckling.“Can you believe he had been _ staying _ there? And she didn’t even _ think _ to mention it to me.” 

“Shotaro Fuwa?” Yashiro frowned deeply. 

“The piece of shit that cheated on her is staying at the castle?” Kijima gasped. “And to think, I backed away to give you two space together and the whole time _ she _ was the player? So, that was for nothing? She sure does give some incredibly mixed signals.” 

Seeing where things were clearly going, Yashiro tried to intercept, but Kuon was in front of Kijima before Yashiro could even move.

“I give you a lot of liberties, Kijima. A _ lot _ . But if you even _ think _ of implying that she’s a…- Look. Just don’t. Okay?” 

Kuon was surprised at himself for calming down in the middle of his approach and turned himself away from Kijima again.

“I’m bringing Mio back. Don’t follow me.” Kuon said as he grabbed onto Mio’s reins.

“Listen, Kuon.” Yashiro rushed, stepping forward. “Maybe… maybe there’s more to the story than what you heard. You said Shotaro was the one that told you what happened, right? Well, maybe there was something he purposefully left out or something he said just to anger you. You said it yourself that this doesn’t seem like something the princess would do easily.” 

Kuon stopped in the middle of walking and turned his head.

“Then why did she let me leave?”

Yashiro was quiet then, clearly not able to think of a good enough reason for that particular move on Kyoko’s part. 

Kuon turned away again, and headed back to his room to rest

~-~

Kuon was laying on his bed trying his hardest to sleep, but it wasn’t coming to him. He found himself constantly reminiscing over the good memories he had with Kyoko and it made him even more sad. 

A knock at his door shocked him out of his reverie. It was probably Kijima or Yashiro, or even worse his parents. Kuon ignored the knocking and tried his best to fall asleep yet again. However, the knocking only increased in volume until Kuon was forced to answer it. 

Kuon sat up and groaned as he made his way to the door, he’d made sure to lock it at night after the ambush he’d experienced weeks ago. 

“_ Kuon! Open the door! _” He sighed. It was his mother. Who knew what she was up to knocking on his door like this at this time of night. Kuon was not looking forward to finding out. 

He opened the door and his mother burst into the room, dressed in her nightclothes with her outdoor coat over it. 

“_ What _!?” Kuon snapped, tired of dealing with people for the day. 

Julienna looked frantic and angry at the same time and Kuon couldn’t even begin to guess what the problem was.

“Don’t talk to me like that!” She hissed, swatting at him. “Get dressed! Now!” 

“I think we’re both dressed enough for the night, mother.”

Without paying him any mind, she walked to his closet and pulled out clothes for him to wear, throwing them at him from across the room.

“Put this on! _ Hurry up _!”

“What are you doing?” Kuon said in between dodging clothes. “What, is the king in town?”

“_ Kuon Hizuri _.” Julienna warned. “If you don’t start getting dressed right this second, I will smack you into next week!” 

Kuon held himself back from rolling his eyes. 

“Mother. I am _ not _ putting on clothes unless you tell me why.”

“The _ princess _ is _ here _. In Sylva, waiting for you! I don’t know why, and frankly, I don’t care right now- you’ll tell me all about it later but you need to-”

Kuon snorted and crawled back into his bed.

“The princess doesn’t care to see me, and as far as I’m concerned I don’t particularly care to see her either right now.”

His mother froze and she looked utterly confused, though _ because _ it was his mother and she always knew _ everything _ she was trying very hard to hide her confusion. 

“Excuse me? Kuon, Princess Kyoko is waiting back at the house with your father. He’s keeping her entertained at the moment but she expressed a particular desire to meet with you. It’s incredibly indecent but I’ll let it pass for the moment. Young love and all that. I’ve been there myself, I wouldn’t want to spoil the fun.” 

Kuon eyes started watering and he quickly blinked it away, hoping his mother hadn’t noticed. 

“Yeah, well, I’ve had enough fun for the day so… Can you please just tell her to go home?” Kuon did the best he could to keep the desperation out of his voice.

His mother cocked her head to the side and took a moment to actually look at him and her eyebrows furrowed in concern. 

“Kuon… what-” 

They were interrupted by a knock at the door. Both of them turned towards it in surprise and Kuon’s mother glanced at him again as if she wasn’t quite ready to let the conversation go but a second knock at the door sent her walking towards it curiously. 

She opened it a crack and leaned through it. Kuon couldn’t see who it was around her body but she seemed to be having some sort of hushed conversation with them on the other side of the door. 

After a long moment of anticipation, Julienna stepped back and opened the door further revealing a very sweaty and frazzled looking Princess Kyoko. 

Kuon’s mother looked between the two of them, as if trying to read the atmosphere, but she seemed to come to a decision pretty quickly. 

“I’ll leave you two alone then. It looks like you have some talking to do.” Julienna said and closed the door behind her on the way out. 

Kuon stared at Kyoko. She was with him alone in his room. Any other day, and he would’ve been overfilled with joy. He had even fantasized about what this would be like. But now, this was the complete opposite of what he had imagined. Her dress was torn and covered in dirt and leaves. He could see her shoes, expensive he imagined, now completely ruined. Her face wasn’t red, but he could tell by the sweat still running down her face that she had run to Sylva. Her hair, a bird’s nest on top of her head, almost made him want to laugh.

But, as Kyoko stood there, he found himself once again filling with anger, regret, and frustration at both himself and her. 

“Why are you here?” He finally asked, breaking the silence.

“I… I needed to talk to you.” Kyoko panted, trying to catch her breath. 

“You didn’t bother to look nice for me, I see.” Kuon said slightly joking, and slightly as an insult.

Kyoko looked down at her appearance as if shocked that she was in such a state but her expression was nothing but determined when she looked back up at him. 

“That doesn’t matter. I don’t care what I look like right now.”

“Sho and I kissed.” She announced suddenly. 

Kuon sat on his bed, unsure of what to say. After a long pause, he started chuckling. Of course, that was why she came here.

“Alright.” He said steeling himself. “Great, you’ve told me yourself. Now you can run along and be happy with him. No more secrets. Bye.”

Kyoko frowned a little but her determined gaze didn’t falter. “He kissed me. It was sudden and I didn’t have time to react. I thought it might have meant something because I had feelings for him before, so I didn’t tell you immediately. But it didn’t mean anything to me at all. Shotaro is a dear childhood friend of mine and that’s it. I can’t apologize enough for what happened tonight but I am so sorry about all of it.” 

Kuon desperately wanted to believe her. He wanted nothing more than to hug her and kiss her and tell her that all was forgiven. But he couldn’t. Kuon couldn’t shake the anger he had out of him.

“But you _ didn’t _ tell me, Kyoko. Even if he kissed you. Even if you were scared that for a moment it meant something, I would want to know. You should have wanted to tell me. I thought you were the most ridiculously honest person I had ever met. And I want to forgive you, but how can I? How do I know you aren’t just telling me what I want to hear?”

Kyoko’s gaze faltered then, and for a brief second it looked like her whole face was about to crumple like a paper bag. 

“I’m sorry.” She repeated and her voice was thick with emotion. “I don’t know what to say. I don’t have a good reason for it. I didn’t come here for you to forgive me. I just wanted you to understand everything. I’m not saying this just because you want to hear it. Shotaro isn’t the one I want, he hasn’t been that for a long time. It’s you. I love you, Kuon.” 

Kuon couldn’t help the smile that crept onto his face.

“Say that again.” 

Kyoko was surprised for a second before she bit her lip as her mouth began to curve upwards. She took a hesitant step forward and when Kuon looked up at her curiously she took a few more steps forward until she was right in front of him. 

“I want to forget about it.” 

“Forget… what?” Kuon questioned.

“I want to forget him.” Kyoko clarified and the shy smile on her face was deadly. “I also want to kiss you again. Is that okay?” 

When Kuon was too shocked to even utter out a verbal response, only able to nod his head, Kyoko leaned down slightly to him since he was only slightly shorter than her at sitting height. Her hand found stability on his shoulder and she leaned in even closer, pressing her lips against his tenderly. It was a kiss that made them forget about everything but the two of them, there, in that moment. When Kyoko pulled away she smiled and she was still a complete mess but to Kuon she’d never looked so beautiful. 

“I love you.” 

Kuon sat on his bed still in a state of shock. He bit his bottom lip and grabbed Kyoko’s hand pulling her in towards him. Kuon gently brushed back her hair behind her ear, pulling her face towards his. Tugging once more on her hand, he got Kyoko to stumble into his lap. Before she could respond, Kuon leaned towards her and pressed his lips onto hers. This was a moment he had been waiting for as long as Kyoko, he assumed, by the way she clung onto him. He removed his hand from hers and it found its way to her exposed thigh. Instinctively. Kuon deepened the kiss, parting his lips, and then suddenly stopped himself. It wasn’t the right time.

He pulled his lips from hers and pressed his forehead against hers. 

“I love you too, Kyoko.”


	23. Chapter 23

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _ The important next step. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... we're just going to post 2 chapters as an apology. lol

Kuon woke up refreshed and full of vigor. This was going to be his day. No Shotaro, no Kijima, no King Lory would be able to intercept him. He made sure of it. Kyoko had agreed to a date.

A normal date. It didn’t have to be as formal as an interview, and he could get a chance to take the princess out of the castle. He threw together a quick outfit, much more casual than the one he wore for the interview. As he got dressed, he stared at his bed, remembering the night Kyoko had come over for the first time.

It was late and she was exhausted, so it didn’t take much convincing to get her to stay the night. Kuon didn’t mind waking up beside her, but Kyoko’s face had been red as a tomato. It had been weeks since then, and Kuon made a note to avoid King Lory, while telling his mother lies about what happened that night.

Kuon went to open his door and saw Kijima leaning in his doorway.

Kuon muttered a curse under his breath. Ever since that night, Kijima had been giving him weird looks, and it almost made Kuon wonder if he knew what had happened.

“Kijima.” Kuon announced exhaustedly.

“Kuon.” Kijima responded, clearly attempting to imitate him. His eyes skimmed over behind Kuon into his room as if he was looking for something. “Fancy seeing you here.” 

“In the doorway. Of my home? Yeah, real fancy.”

Kuon followed Kijima’s eyes, and then turned back to him.

“Why are you peering into my room?” Kuon asked, defensively blocking Kijima’s view.

Kijima shrugged but his gaze shifted from Kuon back into the room again. “No reason. You know, I just realized we’ve never really hung out at your place before.” 

“No. I don’t let people in my room very often. Don’t know why I would let you of all people be an exception.” Kuon grunted, moving to block Kijima’s view again.

“But we’re friends!” Kijima cried, pouting. “Can’t you show one of your best friends in the whole world some hospitality? I could  _ really _ go for a drink.” 

“Okay, well once you bring Yashiro over here, I’ll be happy too. And anyways,  _ why _ do you keep looking in my room? Is there something in there you’re looking for?” 

Kijima raised his eyebrows purposefully as if he was trying to communicate something through the look but Kuon wasn’t understanding anything other than the man being an idiot. Exasperatedly, Kijima leaned forward slightly, far too close, and lowered his voice. 

“I was just curious to see if you had any company. Do you?”

In that moment, Kuon knew Kijima knew. He wasn’t sure how… 

“Did you eavesdrop, you pervert?” Kuon questioned.

A part of him wanted to be angry, but it was so like Kijima he couldn’t hold back a slight chuckle.

“Really? What the hell, Kijima? What if something happened?”

“I was a little disappointed that something  _ didn’t _ happen.” Kijima admitted, running a hand through his hair as he frowned. “Besides, it’s not like it was just me. I saw some commotion happening and decided to check it out. Everyone was just crowding around your door, I thought you’d finally taken my advice and had a human over or something. I didn’t expect it to be the  _ princess _ . I mean, honestly, that girl surprises me more and more each day.” 

The smile on Kuon’s face left.

“You should really watch your mouth, for one. But second of all,  _ who else _ was outside?”

Kijima grinned as if it was the funniest thing in the world. “Oh,  _ everyone _ ! It was like half of Sylva was outside your door, all pressed up to it with their hands cupped around their ears. I pushed my way through the crowd to get a good spot to listen from. Your mother was hysterical, your father kept trying to pull her away and she kept whisper-yelling at him so loudly we thought for sure you were gonna hear her and see us all. Yashiro was trying to shoo the crowd away but nobody was really paying him any attention. I told him everything that happened later though so he knows, too.” 

“Sounds like you had a wild night, honestly. I mean… not literally, but with all that happened with her ex-fiance? I’m impressed you let him walk away after that and not you know,  _ crawl  _ or  _ limp _ . All of it was like reading one of those awful romance novels that all the girls read. My favorite part was when the princess told you she wanted to forget about him. That was  _ romantic _ .” 

Kuon’s face was red. Half of Sylva. And his mother- to have let that happen. He really thought he was being effective in sneaking her out the next morning. But it does explain his mother’s constant pestering, Yashiro’s constant dodging of that night, and Kijima’s creepy looks. 

“Shut up, Kijima. I can’t believe that you guys… You know what? Nope. I’m not gonna let it get to me. And I’m not gonna entertain you more than I should.  _ Today _ is a very good day for me, and I’m not going to let you ruin it.”

Kijima wiggled his eyebrows. “Ooh, what’s going on  _ today _ ? Got yourself a hot date?” 

Kuon thought about leaving Kijima out in the cold, but he was much too proud. 

“Actually yes. She’s a redhead who’s adorably awkward, and one of the most annoying people you’ll ever meet at first. But, man do I love her.” Kuon chewed at the inside of his cheek.

“Well,” Kijima smiled. “Don’t let me stop you, then. That doesn’t sound like the princess at all to me, but I sure hope that’s who you’re talking about. Have fun, tell her Hide said hello.” 

Kuon took a step forward, expecting Kijima to move out of the way, but he didn’t. 

“Um, Kijima, in order for me to move,  _ you _ have to move. You realize that, right?”

“Right, right.” Kijima nodded but as Kuon looked at him oddly and tried to move  _ around _ him, Kijima purposefully stepped in the way again. 

“It’s just-” Kijima’s voice had lost its usual amused tone and he sounded serious all of a sudden. It was a weird sound for him and Kuon frowned in confusion. “Treat her right, okay? She’s obviously been through a lot. A girl like her should never be given any reason to cry. We’re friends, Kuon, but I don’t know what I’d do if I knew you hurt her.” 

Kuon paused and looked Kijima in his eyes.

“You… You really… care about her, huh?”

“Doesn’t really matter, does it?” Kijima shrugged and the lighthearted smile was back on his face like it had never disappeared in the first place. “I just really like seeing her smile, that’s all.” 

Kuon took a quick glance behind Kijima, and placed a hand on his shoulder. Before Kijima could make any quick remark he pulled him in for a hug. He noticed Kijima’s body jump at first, and then he began to relax.

“You’re a good friend, Kijima.” Kuon stated.

“And you’ll be a good leader.” Kijima replied and Kuon could hear the smile in his voice. 

Kuon pulled away from the hug and began chuckling.

“If I hold you any longer, people might start to talk.”

Kijima smirked. “They probably will. Everyone has definitely got their eyes on you after that night. Maybe we should kiss now? Give them a show?” 

  
“Don’t tempt me. Then what will the princess do if we’re both off the market?”

  
“I don’t know. How will you cope? I could probably be convinced after half a bottle of whiskey to put on a pretty dress for you.” 

Kuon burst out into laughter.

“Okay, well I better get going or I’m going to be late. And don’t worry. I’ll take care of her.” 

“You better.” Kijima warned but he was still smiling when he finally moved out of Kuon’s way and started walking away. He raised his hand up in goodbye as he left and Kuon gave him a wide smile in return before dashing off to grab Mio.

~-~

When Kuon reached the castle, Kyoko was already standing outside, waiting for him. He was nervous enough, and now, seeing her outside, he thought maybe he was late.

  
She wore a burnt orange dress that flowed to the ground. It was tight around her waist so he could clearly see her physique, but definitely gave her plenty of leg room. Perfect for riding a horse as he had instructed. 

  
“Hey,” He started, climbing up the steps. “Am I late?”

  
“No, you’re just on time!” Kyoko smiled. “I couldn’t stand waiting around so I came out early. It’s a nice day anyway.” 

  
“You had me worried there for a second. And, uh, you look lovely by the way.” Kuon said, as he got up to her.

  
“Thank you.” Kyoko blushed and her smile was shy, even after all this time, but so bright. “You… look handsome.” 

Kuon could feel himself blushing. He hadn’t seen her since that night, and for some reason her saying that now, was just a little more embarrassing.

“Right. Anyways, are you ready? You can take a wild guess where I’m taking you.” 

Kuon offered his arm to her as he started down the castle steps.

“Um…” Kyoko thought for a moment as she took his arm. “Perhaps to the Sylva gardens? I’d love to visit them again.” 

“Hmm… Good guess, but no. It’s pretty exclusive, and honestly I’m surprised you didn’t guess it.” 

They reached the bottom of the steps and Kuon helped Kyoko onto the horse, before climbing up himself.

“It’s pretty significant for us.”

~-~

They arrived at the Darumaya, and Kuon tied up the horse outside.

“Oh, the Darumaya!” Kyoko gasped. “I should have known. This is where we met for the first time. That’s strange to think about.” 

“Isn’t it? Seems like a long time ago. Back when I was Ren, and you were just… Kyoko. Simpler times. Who would’ve thought I’d fall in love with the sniveling, tear-stained girl bothering me?”

“I wasn’t bothering you!” Kyoko cried indignantly. “I was distraught and minding my own business!” 

“Yeah, well, you were bothering Okami-san and that was bothering me.” Kuon said while holding the door open for her.

“Well, I never thought I’d fall in love with rudest person I’d ever met.” Kyoko retorted before walking into the familiar restaurant. 

When they entered there was no one to be seen, and a table in the center was decorated with flowers and a candle. Okami-san stood in front of the table with a wide smile, and the chef was clearly visible in the back, already cooking away. It had taken Kuon very little convincing for them to set this up, and he was really grateful.

“Oh my goodness.” Kyoko gasped. “Okami-san… this is  _ beautiful _ .” 

Kuon stepped ahead of her and pulled out her chair. When Kyoko sat down he hurried over to his own seat and Okami-san placed down two glasses of wine.

“I just thought it’d be nice to go where it all began. Also, the same place where you briefly hurt my feelings.” He added jokingly while taking a sip of wine.

“You asked them to set all of this up?” Kyoko questioned with wide eyes. “Wow… we really have spent a lot of time in here. This is so sweet, Kuon.” 

“Yeah, had to bribe a few regulars to stay away, but those fishermen friends of yours helped convince them. So,” He said raising his glass. 

“A toast to us. And all the arguments, and laughter, and anger that got us to this place. I love you Kyoko.”

Kyoko smiled so wide that it caused little wrinkles to form at her eyes. 

“To us,” She toasted, raising her glass. “I love you too, Kuon.” 

Throughout the rest of the date, Kuon and Kyoko went off without a hitch. It had been a long time since they’ve gotten to enjoy one another’s company without anything going wrong. They enjoyed the meal Kuon previously had Okami-san prepare and talked until almost sundown. Kuon could’ve stayed there forever talking to Kyoko, but there was one other place he wanted to go first.

“So, what do you think?” Kuon asked.

“This was so nice,” Kyoko swooned. “Thank you for doing all of this.” 

“But, it’s not over yet. I have one more place I really want to take you before the sun sets.”

Kyoko’s eyes widened. “You have more planned?”

“Well, I think we should get going,” Kuon announced, ignoring her question.

He pushed Kyoko out of the restaurant as she attempted to thank Okami-san and Taisho repeatedly. As Kuon shoved her out the door he turned once more to bow to the two respectfully, before following after Kyoko.

~-~

Before they had reached their destination, Kuon leaned back towards Kyoko.

“Well, take a wild guess where we’re headed.” Kuon teased.

They had crossed the border over into Sylva, so there were only so many places they could go.

“I have no idea.” Kyoko laughed. “I was wrong before so maybe this time I’ll just settle for waiting and finding out.” 

Kuon pouted, even though he knew Kyoko couldn’t see. 

“You’re no fun. But if you insist.”

Kuon kicked into Mio’s side and they picked up the pace. 

The three of them reached the Sylva gardens just before the sun met the horizon and Kuon helped Kyoko off Mio.

“Would you have ever guessed it would be here?” Kuon said with a smug grin.

“This was my first guess!” Kyoko cried indignantly. “Were you really going to take me here the whole time or did you just decide to do that because I said I wanted to?” 

Kuon’s smug grin changed to one of slight embarrassment. His face flushed, and he turned away from Kyoko.

“Well, maybe it was… the second one… But hey, it’s romantic, right?” He said, his smug grin settling back into place.

“I’m onto you!” Kyoko giggled before turning to take in all the sights that the gardens had to offer. 

“But, most importantly, I wanted to show you these new flowers we planted.” Kuon said walking over to a set of flowers ranging from bright yellow, to a dark red in color.

Kyoko hurried over to see what Kuon was talking about and gasped audibly when she saw the flowers. “Wow! These are  _ beautiful _ . I can’t wait to see what they’ll look like when they’re fully in bloom. I bet they’d look  _ magical. _ ”

“Well, you won’t have to wait long. We call them Noctis flowers. When the sun starts to go down, they begin to open up.” Kuon explained.

As he spoke, the sun slowly started to set and one by one, the flowers slowly opened up. Each flower, released a sweet smell into the air that filled both Kuon and Kyoko’s nostrils.

“I’ve never seen something like this before! This is incredible!” Kyoko cried in excitement, leaning closer to get a better look at the blooming petals. 

“I thought you’d like them. It’s kind of magical how they do the opposite of other flowers. But, when the sun rises again, they’ll close forever… It’s kind of sad, honestly.” Kuon muttered.

“What do you mean they close forever?” Kyoko questioned curiously.

“Uh… they die, Kyoko. But, when the sun starts to set again they grow once more into flowers with the same or different colors. It’s a miracle of life.” Kuon stated with a smile.

Kyoko frowned slightly. “That’s kind of sad… but I guess in it’s own way it’s still beautiful. It’s almost like it’s the magic of the moon that brings them to life again.”

Kuon, not sure of how to respond, nodded his head in agreement. He cleared his throat and turned to look at Kyoko.

“You know, the sweet smell in the air, the flowers, a sunset behind us. It’s kind of romantic, isn’t it?” 

“It is.” Kyoko said softly, turning to face him with a shy smile. “Thanks for taking me here. I’ve had a really good time today.” 

“I-I did too.” Kuon could feel himself blushing and turned away. 

He took a deep breath and steeled himself. This was something he had to do facing Kyoko. He turned around to look her in the eyes, and found himself biting the inside of his cheek.

“Okay. Kyoko, I’m… not good… at this. I don’t know how I can be, seeing how this is my first time trying… But, um, okay you know I love you. A lot. And I would do anything for you. And I hope you love me. Well, you say you love me so I’m pretty sure that you do love me. Unless you’ve been lying this entire time, but also you’re not a liar and I’m  _ definitely _ not accusing you-”

“Kuon,  _ whoa _ , hold on a second.” Kyoko rushed, reaching out to grab his hand. 

“Of course, I love you. There’s…” She glanced away from him and he noticed she was blushing as well. “There’s no one else I’d rather be with right now.”

Kuon sighed out a breath of relief.

“That’s great. So, Kyoko, when two people love each other, like we do… They usually move on to the next step… And, I feel like after all the secrets, lies, and uninvited exes, we’ve been through a lot. And I don’t regret any of it. And I would happily deal with a million Sho’s if it meant I got to be with you. So, um, Kyo- Princess Kyoko… Will you… Would you like to… Um I’m definitely not trying to push your hand here in anyway. If your answer is no, that’s perfectly fine. I’ll still love you. So… What do you say?”

Kyoko looked at him for a long moment with wide eyes. “What do I… what do I say to what?” 

“To- to the question. The one I just asked you…” Kuon said, his heart starting to race.

Kyoko’s expression hadn’t changed and she still stared at him with an odd expression on her face. “I don’t understand. What question? Aren’t we already… courting? What… next step?” 

“Kyoko…” Kuon began, trying not to freak out. “Of course, marriage would be the next step, right?”

Long seconds passed before what he said seemed to begin to make sense in Kyoko’s head and then she was blushing furiously and could no longer make eye contact with him. Her hand, still holding his somehow, had tightened. 

“ _ M-marriage _ ?” Kyoko sputtered. “Are you… are you asking me to…” 

“Well, of course. What did you think I meant when I asked, ‘would you marry me’? What else could I have been asking?” Kuon pursed his lips, a little annoyed. 

“You never asked me that!” Kyoko cried, still unable to look at him. “You just talked around it and asked me what my response was! I had no idea what you were actually asking me!” 

“I-” Kuon started but paused once he realized Kyoko might be right. “I’m such an idiot… And I forgot to pull out the ring too.” 

Kuon sighed as he pulled out a small intricately carved wooden box, small enough to hold a ring in.

“I’m sorry, Kyoko.” Kuon apologized.

Kyoko was still blushing furiously but she was at least able to look at him with a small smile. Her bottom lip shook like she might start crying but she blinked rapidly and straightened her posture. 

“It’s okay. I’m a princess so… be sure to ask me properly so that I may respond appropriately.” 

Kuon smiled brightly and stood up straight to match Kyoko. He grabbed Kyoko’s hand and bowed before her as he brought out the ring. Popping open the box with one hand, Kuon lifted his head to make eye contact with Kyoko.

“Daughter of King Lory Takarada, Princess Kyoko Takarada, the crowned princess of Vicinia, would you do me the honor of becoming my bride?” 

Kyoko’s eyes were shining as she smiled at him. “Yes, I would.”

Forgetting his place, Kuon jumped in the air out of excitement. He ran over to Kyoko and lifted her up into the air by her waist.

“You mean it, right?” Kuon asked eagerly. 

Kyoko laughed even as a tear slipped down her cheek. “I do! I’m so happy, I can’t believe I’m crying over this.” 

Kuon laughed and placed Kyoko down, cupping her face with his hands to pull her into a kiss, but stopped just as their lips were about to touch.

“Oh, right. The ring.” Kuon fumbled around in his pockets before noticing he had dropped it on the ground.

“Shit.” He scrambled to pick it up and wrenched the ring out of the box.

When Kyoko extended out her hand, he gently pushed the ring onto her fourth finger. 

“Alright, now we can make it official.”

Kuon, without warning, grabbed Kyoko’s hand and pulled her into him. He placed a hand firmly on her waist, while using the other to lift her chin towards him. He noticed her eyes close as he started to lean in and paused right before their lips touched once again. He watched as her face became red the longer they didn’t kiss, and a mischievous grin appeared on his face.

“Say it.” Kuon whispered to Kyoko.

“W-what?” Kyoko asked, clearly confused. Her eyes opened and she leaned back slightly when she realized how close they were. 

  
“Three words. Say it and I’ll kiss you.” He said, with his signature smile plastered on his face.

  
Kyoko looked at him for a long moment before she rolled her eyes and brought up her hands to his cheeks. Kuon’s eyes widened in surprise when she leaned in and kissed him herself. When she drew away she had a smirk of her own on her face. 

“You are  _ really _ annoying sometimes. You’re lucky I love you so much.” 

“I really am.” Kuon bent down, with his seemingly permanent smile, and brought Kyoko in for another kiss.


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _ Amidst news of the Prince and Princess's engagement and the blooming of flowers, something dark looms. _

With the blooming of the flowers, the news of Kyoko and Kuon’s engagement spread along with the scent of roses. The weather was warm and the sun shone brightly upon both the land of Vicinia and of Sylva. The people were, for the most part, happy about the engagement and interested in seeing where the relationship between the two kingdoms would go. It would be a while, even after the wedding, until Kyoko ascended to the throne so there was plenty of time for people to get used to the idea of a joint leadership. 

In the meantime, Kyoko was happy. 

She broke the news to Chiori and Kanae as soon as she returned to the castle and though they’d never been the biggest fans of Kuon, they obviously liked him much better than Shotaro and were happy for her. Kanae had even let Kyoko hug her for once. 

Then, she told her father about it. He’d been happy for her of course, but it was obvious even to Kyoko that Kuon hadn’t been his first choice. He was still rooting heavily for Hikaru and though the man was nice, Kyoko had no idea why her father was so taken with him. Regardless, he had congratulated her and called for a celebration. 

Later that night, Kyoko had written a long letter to her brother and Maria, telling them all the details that any gossip that got to them first would likely leave out. She hoped to see them soon, thinking that maybe she should visit if she couldn’t find a way to have them invited to the wedding.

Kuon had made his announcements to his family and Kyoko had already met with Julienna several times to go over wedding plans only a few weeks after Kuon proposed. Everything was moving at warp speed and Kyoko had little say in any of it. She was happy about it, of course, she’d spent over half her life in an engagement that hadn’t been going anywhere from the start, she wasn’t that interested in staying engaged. But still, things were moving quickly and dates were being set without her knowledge of it most of the time. 

Between meetings during the day and the overwhelming amount of people coming to the castle to congratulate Kyoko on her recent engagement, she had little time to even see Kuon. 

Of course, she had Kanae and Chiori cover for her more than once when she snuck out to go and see him. She knew it was indecent to keep sneaking over to Sylva to spend time with him and just as indecent for him to sneak to the castle. They often met at the Darumaya in private. Okami-san always gave them a clearly disapproving look whenever they came in late at night but she also gave them free desserts with a wink saying that her husband insisted on it. 

Kyoko was even surprised to see a letter of congratulations from Shotaro. She hadn’t spoken to him or seen him at all since that night in her room with Kuon. She’d felt bad about what happened between them but figured it was best to give him his space. The card had made her smile though and she had hope for the future of their friendship. 

~-~

Kyoko was on her way to see Kuon at the Darumaya again. Meetings like this were getting hard to come by as the wedding approached. Kyoko was beyond tired of being prodded, poked, and squeezed for wedding dress fittings and the food she was tasting had long begun to taste the same on her tongue. Only a few weeks were left and dignitaries from all over the kingdom of Vicinia, as well as other friendly fae-ruled kingdoms, were pouring into the capital. Kyoko rarely had a moment alone but she had even less time to spend with Kuon. She already had to cancel on him several times over the past few weeks. She was tired, and her feet hurt from standing so much but she just wanted to see Kuon tonight. 

It was late, and a mere half-moon was barely visible through the clouds. But Kyoko had walked this path many times before. She was used to it, and knew these streets like the back of her hand. She hurried behind building after building, both eager to see Kuon, and to get out of the darkness.

She passed another building when a sudden rapping behind her stopped her in her tracks. Kyoko turned around, curious to see what could’ve made the sudden noise. A chill ran down her spine, a familiar feeling but, since she saw nothing, she turned around to head back to her destination, when she bumped directly into a figure.

“I’m so sorry.” Kyoko gasped and looked up at the tall figure only to see that it was Reino. So, that familiar sense of disgust wasn’t a trick of her mind. “Oh. I’m in a hurry, excuse me.”

Kyoko moved to walk around Reino when he grabbed her arm, and only then did she notice the tears prickling his eyes. Unable to stop herself, Kyoko sighed and stopped to talk to him.

“Reino, what’s wrong?” She asked, genuinely filled with concern.

Reino didn’t answer for a long moment, but his strong grip on Kyoko’s arm didn’t loosen.

“Princess. A tragedy has arose within Vie Ghoul.” Reino spoke so quietly, Kyoko had to strain her ears to hear him.

“What is it? What happened?” Kyoko’s full attention was now on Reino.

“Miroku… he… Please, come. Miroku said to get you specifically. I would not ask if it were not of utmost importance. Please, princess…” Reino pleaded.

Kyoko could see in his eyes that he was desperate. That he really did need her, but… She had made a promise to Kuon. Kyoko glanced once more over her shoulder, in the direction of the Darumaya and made up her mind. 

“Alright, I’ll come back with you.” Kyoko stated firmly. Regardless of her own personal feelings toward Reino, Miroku had never been anything but polite to her and if one of her citizens needed help, it was her duty as the princess to assist them. Kuon had a similar responsibility, surely he would understand. 

Reino’s eyes seemed to light up and he and Kyoko made their way back to Vie Ghoul.

When they approached the building, Kyoko headed for the entrance, but Reino directed her to a side door.

“It’s upstairs,” he muttered.

Kyoko had never been upstairs before, but now wasn’t the time to side with caution. Miroku was probably in desperate trouble if he’d sent Reino for her. She nodded her head, and followed Reino up the many steps. She came into a dimly lit room, with the source of light only being black candles. She searched around the sparsely furnished room and couldn’t see any sign of Miroku or the other men who typically found solace in Reino’s store.

“Um, Reino where is-”

Kyoko jumped as she was cut off by the loud sound of the door slamming shut. She turned to look at Reino who was blocking the door as he casually leaned against it. Despite his casual demeanor, something about him was screaming at Kyoko to stay away. She took a step back and tried to strengthen her stomach, which had suddenly become very nauseous.

“R-Reino… Where is Miroku?” Kyoko stuttered.

She could barely make out his smirk in the light of the candles.

“Somewhere off to find me something. Who knows?”

“But you said that he-”

“He said something along the lines of me finding you, taking you here… He gives me all the best ideas princess. Yet  _ somehow _ , despite me constantly following his advice, you ended up in the arms of a  _ no good, lying, boy _ like that ignorant prince. I just don’t understand, Kyoko. How could you possibly forget?” 

Reino paced in front of the door as he spoke. Kyoko wasn’t sure if he was even speaking to her anymore.

“Forget about what?” Kyoko questioned, taking a few steps further into the room as her heart began to race. Something was very wrong here. 

“ _ The connection _ . Kyoko… How could you forget about the connection we had-  _ have? _ ” Reino’s voice raised almost into a shout.

“Connection?” Kyoko echoed with wide eyes. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” 

Reino’s stalking stopped, and he let out a deep breath. When he turned to face Kyoko, she expected him to be angry but he looked… calm, actually.

“Please, sit, princess.” Reino gestured to the only chair in the room, a small stool.

Kyoko looked back and forth between the stool and Reino, but ultimately decided to sit down. Reino grabbed a nearby box and shoved it over to be in front of Kyoko. It was slightly disturbing how close he was, but Kyoko didn’t think he would let her sit further away.

“I thought this would happen,” Reino began as he sat on the box, he reached for her hand and held it in both of his. His hands were ice cold and Kyoko wanted to tear her hand away but he was holding so tightly that she would have to wrench it out of his grasp. As it stood, she wasn’t entirely sure it would be a good idea to anger him like that. 

“I was young, and you were even younger still. But, once I remind you of it… Of our connection… I just know you’ll understand.”

Kyoko looked him in the eyes, and he seemed desperate for her attention. Desperate for Kyoko to listen to whatever it is he was about to say.

“I didn’t have many friends. I didn’t have any really. I was the only half-fae in my part of town and no one wanted to talk to me. The humans were disgusted by me, and the fae were too scared to associate with me. My father abandoned my mother, like yours did, but all the same my mother did try to make me feel… normal.”

Reino glanced up at Kyoko, and she could sympathize. She grew up around plenty of staff that adored her, but her own mother seemed to hate her very existence, and that feeling never left.

“But anyways, when I was nine, you must’ve been eight when they brought the princess around to the citizens. I was in the front of the crowd. My skinny stature allowed me to push through the crowd easily. As your carriage came through, I called to you and we made eye contact. I was ecstatic, and then someone hit me on my head. Another little boy who probably noticed a half-fae had somehow made it to the front. My joy turned to shame. I didn’t want you to see me as that pathetic little boy…”

Kyoko remembered that day. Little bits and pieces of it. She had been so excited to put on her special dress and meet all the people she would help one day. And as Reino continued on with his story, she began to remember more and more details.

“I started to cry, despite my best efforts not to, and the carriage stopped. I hadn’t noticed. I just wanted to get out of there as soon as possible and save myself any more humiliation. And then I heard your high-pitched voice as you yelled to me. ‘Hey, little boy! Hey, crying boy!’ I turned around and you and your father were walking towards me. I’ll admit, I was a little scared that maybe you had noticed I was half-fae and had come to pick on me too. But then, when you stood in front of me, you held out a little blue stone. I had never seen anything that pretty before and I wasn’t sure what to do. You grabbed my hands and placed the stone into my palms.”

Kyoko remembered that stone. She wouldn’t go anywhere without it. The one gift her mother had given her.

“Then you pulled me in to tell me a secret. If I pushed all my bad thoughts into the stone, I wouldn’t feel as bad anymore. And then you gave me a hug, and I had to muster up all my courage to ask you this in front of everybody. But, I asked if we could be friends and get married one day…”

Kyoko was curious. She vaguely remembered this, but she wasn’t sure of what her response at the time had been.

Reino chuckled as he rounded up his story.

“You told me, of course we could be friends. You had to marry Shotaro, but, you said that I could marry whatever girl I dreamed of when I grew up, Kyoko. And I decided on you. Shotaro is no longer in the picture. And, look,” Reino pulled out a necklace he kept hidden under his shirt.

“I still have the stone. I love  _ you _ Kyoko. I want  _ you _ . So, why? Every single time I try… You just shut me down. You don’t even give me a second glance. What don’t I have that  _ Ren, Kuon, Shotaro,  _ hell even that  _ lying  _ Hikaru has?”

In his frustration, Reino stood from the box, pacing back and forth once more.

“I just…” Kyoko frowned. She had no idea why Reino decided to mention Hikaru in that list but thought it best not to question it. “I just don’t feel that way for you.” 

Reino stopped his pacing, and Kyoko stayed silent. He had his face turned from her, but she could hear his sniffles as he used his sleeve to wipe his face. Kyoko almost felt like reaching out to him when he started shaking his head.

“No.  _ No.”  _ Reino turned around and bent at Kyoko’s feet, roughly grabbing her hands.

“No. Kyoko, it just didn’t get through to you. You don’t understand.  _ I love you.  _ And I have tried everything. I followed Miroku’s instructions, I was a  _ perfect _ gentleman to you. I helped you learn about your past and- And we’re  _ both _ half-fae, Kyoko. You can’t tell me you don’t see it too. Our connection is fated, that’s why we’ve been drawn to each other our whole lives. This… This is my last chance, and I won’t- I  _ can’t _ let you go. Not until you realize that what we have is something… special.”

Fear gripped tightly at Kyoko’s heart, sending it into overdrive. This whole situation was the definition of insanity. This was  _ insane _ . Reino was  _ insane _ . Kyoko didn’t think there would be any reasoning with him without Miroku around, especially when he was saying things like  _ fate _ and  _ connection _ . 

She roughly jerked her hands out of Reino’s grasp and sprung from her seat. The stool she was sitting on fell back, clattering loudly against the wood floor. She took her chance and started running for the door, desperate to get out of the close quarters with him. If she could just get outside and yell for help, someone would have to hear her. 

“ _ Prohibere. _ ” Reino said. 

Although Kyoko knew he had spoken quietly, his voice was loud and booming in her ears. She attempted to move her legs and arms but found that they weren’t listening to her at all.

Reino began muttering again, and again, his voice boomed in Kyoko’s ears.

“ _ Sors immanis et inanis, rota tu volubilis, status malus, vana salus semper dissolubilis, obumbrata et velata michi quoque niteris, nunc per ludum dorsum nudum fero tui sceleris. _ ”

Kyoko wasn’t sure what it was Reino was saying, but she could feel her heart pounding in her chest with every word.

“ _ Sedet et. _ ” Reino commanded.

And without a moment’s hesitation, Kyoko’s body quickly found its way back onto the stool. Her eyes were wide with shock. She had no idea what had just happened. She was sitting on the stool again but she had been  _ so _ close to the door just a few seconds ago. 

“Like I said, Kyoko. You cannot leave.” Reino repeated.

“What did you just do?” Kyoko cried, fear surged so sharply through her that it made her dizzy. She had no idea just how serious Reino was about this but she felt like she was late in getting the idea. 

~-~

Kuon was at his wits end. It’d been a day and a half since Kyoko and him scheduled to meet up at the Darumaya, and she still hadn’t turned up anywhere. Even though she had to cancel on him in the past, she usually let him know in advance. It wasn’t like her to just not say anything at all. He searched all the usual areas, but it was hard to search for the princess while trying to keep it under wraps that she was missing. He charged through the castle doors, a familiar routine since Kyoko had gone missing. 

Chiori and Kanae stood in the foyer, talking to Sebastian about something.

“Any news on Kyoko?” Kuon asked as he walked towards them.

Chiori shot him a look, and he glanced at Kanae for clarification.

“Well, it’s a secret she’s missing, remember?” Kanae added, smugly.

Kuon gave a confused look at the two of them. 

“What? I’m inside and the castle doors are closed. The whole staff knows she’s missing, right?”

“Who’s missing?” A familiarly annoying voice rang behind Kuon’s ears and he kept his curse in his head.

“Shotaro. What are you doing here? The wedding isn’t for another few weeks.”

Shotaro grinned at Kuon and brought a spoonful of a honey-colored jiggly substance to his mouth.

“Don’t tell me Kyoko got cold feet and left you already.” Shotaro said with a chuckle.

Kuon opted to ignore him and turned his attention to Sebastian and the handmaidens. 

“Come on, think. There  _ has _ to be someplace else.  _ Anywhere. _ ” Kuon was all but pleading to his fellow fae in hopes they could come up with something.

“Holy  _ shit _ . You actually lost Kyoko. I was engaged to her for years and she hadn’t gone missing once. What the hell, I leave you alone for a second and she’s-”

Kuon shoved Shotaro, not so nicely, causing him to stumble onto the floor. Shotaro was nothing but a distraction. He needed to think. Where could Kyoko be?

Shotaro stood, dusting himself off with a scowl. “Real mature, asshole. You’re lucky I didn’t drop my pudding.” 

Kuon shot Shotaro a fierce glare.

“Look, if you’re not gonna be helpful, the least you can do is get the fuck out of my way.” 

Shotaro rolled his eyes. “Feisty. Anyway, when’s the last time you saw her? I’m sure she’s just avoiding you or something.” 

“Shotaro, I knew you were an idiot from the day that I met you. But for the love of- Kyoko is missing. Gone.  _ Our _ Kyoko. So, either make yourself useful or shove more of that sugar-filled pudding in your mouth so I don’t have to hear you speak.” Chiori hissed.

“She told us she was going to see Kuon the night before last and she never showed up. We haven’t seen her or heard from her since. This is not a joke.” Kanae snapped. 

Shotaro sighed heavily. “I just don’t understand how a  _ princess _ can go missing and  _ nobody _ knows where she is. That doesn’t make any sense.” 

“According to Prince Kuon here, the lady would take back roads to come see him. The foolish girl… Someone must have taken her. Or…” Sebastian interjected before Kuon could get a word in.

“Oh, I see.” Shotaro said darkly, turning to Kuon. “So, it’s your fucking fault she’s missing!” 

Kuon turned on Shotaro once more.

“You don’t think I told her not to?! Time and time again, Kyoko doesn’t listen to anything I say if she thinks she knows better. And  _ you _ aren’t helping standing there, picking blame, and trying to find every excuse in the book to hide the fact that you’re a broken man who lost the only person who ever cared for him. And  _ what _ ? You’re reveling in the fact that she’s missing now? Fuck off Shotaro.”

Shotaro’s jaw dropped open in shock before he stepped forward, crowding Kuon’s space. “ _ That’s _ what you think this is about, you piece of shit? Are you serious? How big of a fucking ego do you have? You should be  _ thanking me _ . If I hadn’t fucked up so badly, Kyoko would have never even  _ looked _ in your direction. You’d be  _ nothing  _ to her.” 

Kuon moved to push Shotaro again when he heard Chiori talking.

“If either of you says or does  _ one _ more thing that doesn’t help find Kyoko, I will make it my  _ personal _ mission to watch you two burn politically. I will raise hell on you like you’ve never seen.”

Kuon hesitated, biting the inside of his cheek, but he knew Chiori was serious and turned away from Shotaro. 

“If she was actually taken…” Shotaro began quietly. “Then, it was probably that creep that took her. His shop is around those back alleys.” 

“Yeah, we checked Vie Ghoul,” Kanae said. 

“It was empty. Doesn’t look like anyone’s been inside for a while.” Chiori added.

“Vie Ghoul? And what creep?” Kuon asked, clearly perplexed.

Shotaro huffed, annoyance evident in his expression. “She never even told you about Reino?” 

“That man who showed Kyoko her wings? Yeah, what about him?” Kuon questioned.

Shotaro frowned. “She told you about that but didn’t tell you that he’s practically obsessed with her? He’s a huge creep and owns the weirdest shop in the whole kingdom. I’m pretty sure it’s supposed to be a fortune teller but everyone stays away because as I just said, he’s creepy, and all the people who work under him are freaks.” 

“But you guys definitely checked out this Vie Ghoul place, right?” Kuon asked Kanae and Chiori.

“Yeah, we’re not idiots,” Chiori said.

“What about… the Darumaya has a private upstairs area for Okami-san and Taisho. Does this thing have one of those?” Kuon questioned, getting more and more eager for each response.

“Um, I’m not sure. There weren’t any stairs inside, but it is a pretty tall building. I don’t know, maybe we missed a-”

“Alright. Shotaro, show me where this place is. Be quick, and keep up with me.” Kuon demanded, interrupting Kanae.

Without looking back to see if Shotaro was actually behind him or not, Kuon launched for the castle front door.

Shotaro kept in stride with Kuon as they raced for Vie Ghoul. They had reached there in very little time, but the girls seemed right. There didn’t seem to be anyone home and it looked like it really had been empty for days. 

That is until Kuon and Shotaro heard footsteps coming up behind them.

“Hello, gentlemen. Oh. Lord Shotaro and Prince Kuon. Please, to what do I owe this pleasure?” A tall man with long blonde hair stood in front of them.

He ushered three young men behind him, carrying large quantities of items, inside. Shotaro stepped towards the blonde man. 

“Where’s your creep of a boss?” Shotaro questioned, but the man seemed to ignore him entirely.

“I don’t believe we had the honor of meeting.” He said, calmly addressing Kuon as if Shotaro wasn’t there. “My name is Miroku. This is Vie Ghoul, although I’ll assume you knew that. So, may I ask again, why is it that you are here?”

Miroku wore a fake smile, all too familiar to Kuon. He didn’t like this man, and he certainly didn’t trust him.

“As my lackey there already said, we’re looking for your boss. Reino, right?” Kuon said, matching Miroku’s cool tone.

“Hey!” Shotaro cried indignantly. 

“Reino…? He-” Miroku cut himself off and for a slight moment his expression seemed to change to anger.

“Follow me.” His cool tone had returned and he walked with confidence towards the side of the building.

There, a small door stood, blending in with the shadows of the alleyway. Kuon, searing with anger, followed steadily behind Miroku, up the steps.

~-~

Kyoko had no idea how long it had been since she’d been trapped with Reino. There were no windows in the room and she’d only had candlelight to work from for hours. It turned out that the room was Reino’s personal quarters even though there was hardly anything in the room. It sort of seemed like he never actually used it, especially judging by the amount of dust on everything. 

She’d fallen asleep for a while, only by force of sheer exhaustion and when she woke up she was on an extremely thin mattress with a blanket over her. Reino was nowhere to be seen at first, so naturally, Kyoko had tried to leave through the door but whenever she got close enough her legs moved on their own volition and carried her back over to sit on the stool. She’d tried repeatedly, not understanding exactly what was happening until she remembered that Reino had spoken some strange words before, and it was probably some type of magic that was causing her problem. 

That was the only explanation for it. 

Kyoko didn’t understand how Reino could even  _ use  _ magic. He’d admitted that he was half-fae in his speech but fae hadn’t had magic for centuries and even if he did, it didn’t make any sense that it was as strong as it was with him only being half. Not to mention, that most magic Kyoko had heard about didn’t need incantations or any spoken language. That wasn’t the way fae magic worked. 

Eventually, Reino had returned, to Kyoko’s extreme displeasure. The door revealed golden yellow hues of light that told her the sun was setting which meant that she had at  _ least _ been here for almost a full day if not longer. It definitely felt like longer than that though. 

Reino being around was nearly unbearable. When he wasn’t trying to convince her of the connection they had by explaining random occurrences and odd events, he was frustrated and shouting about how much he’d done to show her that he cared about her. 

At times, Kyoko felt bad for him. He was clearly delusional but it was obvious that he did care deeply for her. She was a bit flattered that someone cared for her so deeply but it didn’t change the fact that her feelings were elsewhere and the things that Reino had done to prove his affections were far from  _ romantic _ . 

Kidnapping her, for example, was not working well in his favor. Really, Kyoko feared what would happen when he gave up on her and realized that she wasn’t going to reciprocate his feelings. She didn’t know if he’d turn his anger on her, or on Kuon, and she really didn’t want to find out. 

_ Kuon _ . He’d been waiting for her at the Darumaya. Surely, he’d realized that she hadn’t shown up and maybe he was even looking for her. 

Reino was showing Kyoko a flower, and explaining how it symbolized their relationship. Kyoko drowned him out as she usually did, distracting herself with fantasies of Kuon coming to save her. As she drifted off further into her daydream, she was pulled back into reality by the sudden sound of the door being opened.

In walked Miroku, and disappointment flooded Kyoko’s body, but only for a second. Soon afterwards, Kuon came behind Miroku, pushing him to the side, racing towards Kyoko.

“Kyoko. Are you okay? Were you hurt?” He looked her up and down, inspecting random areas of her body and observing them. 

“Kuon!” Kyoko cried, she couldn’t believe he was right in front of her all of a sudden. “I-I’m fine, how did you know I was-” 

Kyoko’s attention was brought to the scene unfolding behind Kuon and she lost her train of thought. She hadn’t even seen Shotaro come into the room, and she had no time to question why he was even there because the noise that had drawn her attention came from Sho’s fist connecting with Reino’s face. 

Kyoko watched Sho’s fist raise for another punch when he got held back by Miroku. Sho turned angrily towards him.

“Lord Shotaro, I’m going to have to ask you to refrain from harming Reino anymore. I’m positive he has learned his lesson.”

Miroku’s eyes shifted over to Reino, and he silently nodded his head.

Sho wrenched himself out of Miroku’s grip and stood glaring down at Reino on the ground, the anger in his expression almost frightening. “I’ve been wanting to do that for a  _ long _ time. Thanks for giving me an excuse. If you come near Kyoko ever again your little friend here won’t be enough to stop me.”

“Can you walk?” Kuon’s voice brought Kyoko’s attention back to him. 

From the looks of it, he hadn’t even glanced over at all the commotion. Kyoko used his shoulders to lean on, and found she was able to stand perfectly fine. She glanced over at Reino, almost fearful of taking a step towards the door.

“Don’t worry. I’ve got you.” Kuon said calmly, walking with her to the exit.

“You go and get the authorities. I’ll make sure he doesn’t go anywhere,” Sho glared at Reino again, trying to be as menacing as possible.

“Wait,” Kyoko stopped even though Kuon was still urging her to keep moving. She made eye contact with Miroku who was clearly pleading with her in his expression. Then her gaze moved to Reino who was looking at the floor rather than anyone else in the room. The skin around his jaw was already reddening, evident that it would bruise soon. 

“I’m not going to the authorities.” 

“What the hell do you mean,  _ you aren’t going to the authorities _ !?” Sho cried in outrage. “He  _ kidnapped _ you and who knows what would have happened if we didn’t show up?” 

“Please, Princess Kyoko. If anyone is to be punished here, it is me. I left him unattended knowing full well what may have happened. The news of your recent engagement disturbed him greatly and I should have known better than to leave him to his own devices.”

Miroku dropped into a deep bow.

“Please, spare him. He wouldn’t last a second in any holding cell.”

Kyoko glanced up at Kuon, who held onto her steadily. But he made no move to say a word. 

“He didn’t harm me. In fact, I’m not sure that he would have. You’ve… often helped the situation when things got out of hand, Miroku. I’ll trust you with him. I don’t think he deserves to spend his life in a jail cell for falling in love with someone who doesn’t share his affections.” 

“Kyoko, are you  _ serious _ ?” Shotaro gasped. 

“Shotaro.” Kuon spoke for the first time since asking Kyoko if she could walk and his voice was calmer than she would have expected it to be. “It’s her decision.” 

“Yeah, well, what if it’s a stupid decision and he does this  _ again _ ?” Shotaro pressed. 

“It’s  _ her _ decision.” Kuon repeated. 

Miroku walked towards Kyoko, and as he reached out his hand, Kuon intercepted. Miroku looked over at him, and placed a small smile on his face, retracting his hand. He gave Kyoko a respectful bow in place of that.

“I am in your debt, Princess Kyoko. All of us at Vie Ghoul are. And I’m sure Reino would like to apologize.” Miroku stated turning to look at Reino.

Reino slowly walked over to Kyoko and Kuon and bowed as Miroku had.

“Princess. I deeply apologize for my behavior.” Reino stated clearly.

“Reino.” Kyoko began, taking a deep breath. “I meant what I said. You’ll have the person of your dreams at some point. But it’s not going to be me. I hope you find someone that can love at the same depth that you do.” 

“Alright, Kyoko, we should get going. Everyone’s worried about you.” Kuon whispered just loud enough for her to hear it.

Kyoko followed Kuon as he ushered her out of the building.

“Excuse me?! Are we  _ really _ letting them go?” Kyoko could hear Sho calling from behind, knowing he wouldn’t stop until they reached the castle.

“ _ Yes _ . Shotaro, I’m letting them go.” Kyoko sighed. Now that she could actually relax, she was beginning to feel just how tired she really was. 

“But-”

“Shotaro, he really didn’t do anything to me. Leave it alone. Don’t make me command you as a citizen under the royal crown to  _ stop _ talking.” 

Shotaro muttered to himself, clearly still displeased with how the situation had turned out but he didn’t speak up again and instead followed behind them quietly as they made their way back to the castle. 

Kyoko was holding Kuon’s arm as they walked and she squeezed a little tighter to get his attention. 

He looked down at her and his expression was stormy but he smiled slightly. 

“Thanks for coming to get me.” She whispered. 

Kuon nodded and without saying anything, wrapped his arm around her shoulders, holding her tightly to him.


	25. Chapter 25

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _ And so the Prince and Princess lived happily ever after. _

“Kyoko! Geez! Get up! Are you seriously oversleeping on your own wedding day!?” Kanae shouted, bursting into Kyoko’s room. Chiori came in behind her and wore a similar scowl. 

“Why aren’t you up!?” 

Kyoko sighed and rubbed her eyes. Admittedly, she had been awake for a while. The night before was full of nothing but restless sleep and constant tossing and turning. Her stomach was a ball of tightly coiled nerves and she couldn’t think of anything else besides the fact that she was getting  _ married _ today. She hadn’t realized so much time had passed though. 

Weeks had gone by since the trouble with Reino. Kuon had obviously been upset about the whole situation and Kyoko couldn’t really blame him. He’d told her repeatedly to stop taking the alleys and backroads at night but Kyoko hadn’t listened to him. She was just glad that he had held in his frustration towards her and had instead focused on making sure that she was okay. Although, that had almost been worse. She felt guilty about all of it. 

It wasn’t Reino’s fault for loving her, so Kyoko didn’t feel right having him sent to prison or even worse- to the dungeons or something equally horrible. But in her reckless action, she’d made the people who care about her worried and made them forgive the person who caused that worry on top of it. 

Regardless, it was all over now and hopefully in the past for good. In exchange for not turning Reino in to the authorities, Kuon had urged her to at least tell her father about what happened. He hadn’t been happy either but he’d accepted Kyoko’s request to let Reino be, despite his initial outrage. So, everything was more or less fine. 

Now, all Kyoko had to worry about was the fact that she was about to be late for her own wedding. 

“Sorry, I’m getting up now.” Kyoko sighed, stretching as she stood. Kanae and Chiori were rushing around the room getting things set up so that they could streamline the process of getting her ready into as quick of a process as they could. 

Chiori rushed out of the room to bring in her wedding dress and Kanae looked around before her gaze settled on Kyoko. 

“What’s wrong?” She asked, crossing her arms. 

Kyoko turned to her, startled. “What? Nothing.” 

“No, it’s your wedding day. You’ve been dreaming of this day since I’ve known you, I expected you to be beside yourself with joy. But you haven’t even gotten out of bed. So, what’s wrong?” 

Kyoko sighed, looking down at the ground. “I guess… maybe I’m a little scared. I dreamed about this day so much that now that it’s finally here I’m worried that maybe I’m making the wrong decision.” 

Kanae narrowed her eyes. “Are you serious? I’ve seen how you and Kuon are when you’re together. He  _ clearly _ loves you. It’s kind of sickening honestly.”

Chiori returned with Kyoko’s dress in her hand and the amount of white fabric was nearly swallowing her whole.

“What’s going on? Why isn’t Kyoko getting ready yet?”

“She’s getting cold feet.” Kanae explained with an annoyed expression. 

Chiori set the dress down with a huff. “Really? I didn’t lug this hundred-pound dress here for nothing.”

“I’m not getting cold feet.” Kyoko argued tiredly. “I know I love Kuon, it’s just maybe… maybe we should wait longer before we get married.” 

“Wait  _ longer _ ?!” Chiori snapped, incredulous. “You were engaged to that other idiot for almost your entire life and we all know how  _ well _ that worked out. If you want to be together then you should just hurry up and  _ be together _ . What difference would waiting make?” 

Kyoko shifted uncertainly. “But… what if after we get married, he decides he doesn’t want to be with me anymore?”

Chiori’s hands curled into fists. “If he’s stupid enough to do that, then I will  _ personally _ string him up from the ceilings by his-”

Kanae quickly slapped a hand over Chiori’s mouth blocking the rest of her sentence from Kyoko’s ears. 

“What Chiori is  _ trying _ to say is that if you don’t think Kuon really loves you and meant it when he proposed to you, we will drag him in here and have him reassure you himself.”

“I… aren’t I running late, though?” Kyoko questioned with wide eyes. 

Kanae sighed heavily. “I’d rather you be late to your own wedding than not show up to it at all. Would you like me to go and fetch him for you?” 

Kyoko thought about it for a moment. It would probably make her feel better if Kuon did come up and reassure her that she was making the right choice and that they were in this together. They had barely been able to see each other at all in the last week. With the wedding approaching and all the last minute decisions and fittings and meetings, they had both been busy. But… she reached down and twisted the engagement ring on her finger. 

She’d promised to trust him, so she would. 

“No.” Kyoko shook her head. A small smile spread across her face as the realization that she was  _ going to get married today _ actually hit her. “It’s okay. Let me hurry and get ready so you two can help me put this gorgeous dress on.”

“I think you mean  _ gigantic _ .” Chiori scowled. 

“You didn’t even bring in the train, Chiori.” Kanae noted, clearly amused.

“Are you  _ joking _ !?” 

Kyoko laughed quietly to herself. Everything was going to be okay. She was just nervous. That was natural, it was one of the biggest moments in her entire life. It would be strange if she  _ wasn’t _ nervous.

~-~

Kuon sat in a room in the castle shown to him by the stiff chamberlain. He was uncomfortable. His outfit was chosen by his mother; meant to compliment Kyoko’s dress. But it was tight and oppressive, and definitely not something he would normally wear. But then again, this wasn’t a normal day. It was far from it. He could feel his palms sweating, and he was sure there were dark stains in his armpits. Yashiro was sitting across from him, and he hadn’t said a word.

Kuon wasn’t particularly upset about that. What would he even say? But, still, it wasn’t like Yashiro to stay quiet. Not when an important event in Kuon’s life was happening. Hell, when Kuon lost his first tooth he had a vivid memory of Yashiro instructing him on every little detail.

“I’m getting married,” Kuon started, breaking the ice. 

Yashiro looked at him carefully.

“Yes. You are.” He agreed.

“I’m gonna fuck it up.” Kuon finished.

“You won’t. And even if you somehow manage to, she’ll still love you.” 

“You think so?” Kuon questioned, finally turning to look at Yashiro. 

“I do.” Yashiro nodded. “You’re a fierce protector of those you love, you truly care about the wellbeing of those around you, and you’ll admit when you’ve made a mistake. Anyone would be lucky to have you by their side.” 

Kuon eyed Yashiro for a moment and then smiled. 

“I didn’t know you felt that way,” Kuon mocked while fake crying.

Yashiro rolled his eyes. “Don’t let me inflate your ego too high,  _ Prince Kuon _ . Everything will work out the way it’s supposed to. Don’t let your worry overshadow your joy. Today is a celebration of love, remember to actually celebrate.” 

Kuon found himself cringing at hearing his best friend use the title, but he was appreciative all the same. Before he could respond, Julienna burst into the room, and, subconsciously, Kuon straightened himself up in his chair. Behind his mother, Kuon could see his father with an apologetic face also entering the room. Since the wedding was announced it seemed like Kuu constantly had that expression on his face.

Kuon could feel a speech coming along, and judging by his father’s expression, he wasn’t wrong.

“There you are!” His mother cried as she laid eyes on the two of them. “Goodness, look at you. My darling little boy!” 

Kuon groaned. Most of the reason why his father was looking apologetic all of the time was because his mother had become almost unbearably suffocating ever since he had announced his engagement to Kyoko. 

“Stand up, dear. Your suit is going to get wrinkled if you keep sitting in it with horrible posture of yours.” 

Kuon held himself back from rolling his eyes, but slumped deeper in his chair as an act of defiance.

His mother narrowed her eyes but chose not to push the issue. It was ridiculous anyways. 

“I was hoping I would have time to speak with you for a few minutes before we needed to take our seats. These humans have  _ no _ idea how to properly put together an event of this scale. It’s a mess out there and everything has been left to the very last minute. Did you know that they’re icing the wedding cake as we speak? And the seating arrangements don’t make any sense whatsoever, I’d better understand it if we were playing musical chairs. Not to mention-” 

“Well, mother, you’re the best decorator I know. Go out there and show them how it’s done.” Kuon interrupted with a wide grin.

He knew his mother would see through the thinly veiled attempt to get rid of her, but at least she would get the message.

“Believe me, I plan on it.” She huffed and her irritation was obvious. “I wanted to speak to you first. You’re getting married to the  _ Princess of Vicinia _ today.” 

“Oh, I wasn’t aware. Someone should inform the king.” Kuon chuckled, but cut himself short when he saw his mother’s look.

“This is  _ not _ the time for jokes or sarcasm, Kuon. This is a  _ historical _ event!” She cried, and her arms swung upward dramatically. “Nothing this large has happened between our two nations since the  _ signing of the peace treaty _ . News of this will likely spread throughout the entire world. You will represent all of the fae when you go out there today. I  _ expect _ you to leave an impression that doesn’t leave the citizens of Vicinia thinking that this marriage was a  _ mistake _ .” 

Kuon kept his grin on his face, bearing the full weight of the responsibility his mother thrusted onto him. 

“Of course, mother. I would never shame the fae, nor the Hizuri name.”

His mother stared at him for a scathing moment, making sure that her point was received before she sighed and her eyes grew wet with unshed tears. 

“I know that you won’t. Though, everyone will expect it. You’re a Hizuri, Kuon, we don’t cower under the spotlight we shine beneath it.” She sighed again and stepped closer, touching a tender hand to his cheek. “You look just like your father in that suit. Absolutely charming. The princess has no idea how lucky she is.” 

Kuon’s forced smile finally formed into a natural one, as he stood up and embraced his mother. 

“Thank you, mom. Now, really you better go. I don’t want to see you have a heart attack because the grass wasn’t cut to your liking.”

“It’s far too late now to be cutting the grass, it would go absolutely everywhere!” She scowled. “Honestly, it’s too high to even be practical.”

His mother hugged him back tightly, kissing his cheek. “I really do have to go, dear. I won’t have anyone ruining my only son’s wedding. I love you, I’ll see you later. Save a dance for me, please!” 

As his mother left, she planted a quick kiss on Kuu’s cheek and headed down the hallway.

Kuon’s father leaned in the doorway and Kuon knew he was waiting until his mother was out of hearing range.

“I apologize about your mother. She’s… a bit riled up about everything. You know how she is. She just cares about you a lot.” Kuu started, walking in as he spoke.

“I know.” Kuon sighed. 

His father approached him with a comforting smile and smacked his shoulder lightly. “Are you nervous?” 

Kuon sighed. “How did you feel on  _ your _ wedding day?”

“ _ Nervous _ .” Kuu laughed. “I think I was shaking. You know how your mother is, if even one thing is out of order it’s suddenly life or death. If you think she’s bad now you should have seen her then.” 

Kuon laughed. “Yeah, but Kyoko’s not like that. So, why am I so nervous?”

“Because you love her.” His father smirked. “It makes everything scarier. But the fear is proof that it means a lot to you. To both of you.” 

Kuon nodded his head.

“Do you think Kyoko’s as scared as I am, then?”

“Probably.” Kuu shrugged. “The two of you are going through the same thing right now. You can find some comfort in knowing that after you get married, you’ll be partners and face the world together. You’ll be there for each other in a way that no one else is. That’s what marriage is about.” 

“I suppose so. But, if worse comes to worse though, Yashiro has just informed me of his secret love of me, after all these years. I’ll be in safe hands…” 

“No, I most certainly did not.” Yashiro denied from behind him. 

Kuon turned to Yashiro.

“I see, you only love me behind closed doors, huh? This is precisely why I’m marrying someone else. Jokes aside though, we should really head out there. You know, before mother loses her mind.”

The three of them headed outside to where the ceremony was being held. It was decided that the wedding was to take place in the Vicinia gardens so a portion of the garden that wasn’t used had been completely relandscaped to accommodate the amount of people that would need to be seated. The path had been marked by bouquets of white and light pink flowers and swathes of sheer fabric and small candles protected within glass vases. 

The theme of the design extended to the seating area and the gazebo at the end of the path, bordered by tall trees. The gazebo itself had intricately arranged petals, flowers, and fabric on it, drawing attention to it with the crisp white of the wood it was made out of. 

Kuon could see people beginning to take their seats. His mother was frantically moving around, directing everyone to where she wanted them to be. As he looked amongst the crowd, he felt a hand placed on his shoulder.

“You’ll be fine,” his father whispered into his ear.

He watched as Kuu went to tame Julienna. Everyone slowly filed into their seats and he found he didn’t know most of them from Vicinia. He assumed there were many nobles and, as he scanned, he noticed a pair of eyes looking back.

Shotaro. 

He raised an eyebrow at him, and expected a childish response back. Instead, the man turned in his seat, begrudgingly, and faced forward. Kuon couldn’t help but notice the girl next to Shotaro who kept looking back at him. She seemed about Kyoko’s age and was talking nonstop.

Kuon ignored her constant gaze as he looked about the crowd once more. Everyone had sat down, and his mother was silently directing him to head to his spot.

He took in a deep breath and walked across the aisle quickly to stand at his position, left of the royal officiant. 

His heart began beating out of his chest when the violinists began playing. A hush fell over the crowd, and he knew that soon, Kyoko would arrive. As inconspicuous as possible, he rubbed his hands on his pants.

The flower girl began walking, and everyone stood up. She was a young girl, Kyoko’s niece he was told. Her pigtails were curled and she wore a scarlet red dress. Kuon couldn’t quite remember her name, but as she walked down, he found she was eyeing him but he couldn’t tell if it was out of suspicion or something else.

And then, behind her, Kuon saw Kyoko walking with her arm linked with her father’s. She wore a white puffy dress with a trail so long, Kanae and Chiori had to carry it behind her. She was avoiding Kuon’s eyes, which made him a little more relaxed. She was nervous too.

As she walked, he looked over her and couldn’t help but notice her cleavage through the sheer top. He quickly averted his eyes, feeling his face going red and looked at everyone else eyeing Kyoko. He found himself feeling proud at the fact that she was soon going to be his wife. 

As she got closer, though, Kuon noticed Lory staring him down. He hadn’t spoken to him much since the announcement, but it was clear what Lory’s eyes were saying. Kuon better not screw this up. 

When Lory handed Kyoko over to Kuon, he cursed himself for the sweat on his hands as she held onto them. A sheer veil covered her face, and through it he could see her face was as red as his felt. He bit his bottom lip, and uncovered her face and the look in her eyes made his heart leap out of his chest. Her eyes were tearing up and the depth of the love in her eyes was staggering. She was smiling and looked as radiant as the sun and Kuon couldn’t help but smile wider in return. He reached down to hold both of her hands in his as the officiant began speaking.

“Thank you all for coming. We have all come here to celebrate the love of Princess Kyoko and Prince Kuon. They thank you for your presence here today and now for your blessing, encouragement, and lifelong support for their decision to be married. On this momentous day, we will merge two kingdoms which have been at odds for many years. But now is not the time to reflect on the past, but look towards the future. The new future that Princess Kyoko and Prince Kuon have so graciously taken steps to allow all of us to partake in. And, as a community, we must do our part. With our own love, respect, and care we can support their marriage and the new future they are creating here today.”

“We’ve come to the point in your ceremony where you’re going to say your vows to one another. But before you do that, I ask you to remember that love - which is rooted in faith, trust, and acceptance - will be the foundation of an abiding and deepening relationship. No other ties are more tender, no other vows more sacred than those you now assume. If you are able to keep the vows you take here, not out of any obligation, but out of love and the desire to be loved by one another, then your home will have joy and in one another you will find the direction of your growth, freedom, and your responsibility.”

“Please now read the vows you have written for each other.”

“Kuon…” Kyoko sighed, and her smile was brighter than ever as she looked at him. The crowd of people watching them disappeared entirely as Kyoko began to speak and it was suddenly just the two of them. 

“Who would have thought that a chance encounter on one of the  _ darkest _ days of my life would have led to one of the  _ brightest _ days of my life. We found each other when we were both no one. A mystery to each other. Just simple people on a simple day who met at a simple place. I never would have imagined that we would have had so much in common or each cared so intently for the people we will one day rule over. You found me at my lowest and even though I’m sure you had better things to do in your day than comfort a girl crying over a broken heart- I cannot express in words how much I appreciated you distracting me that day and pulling me away from my sadness. Because, when I thought that love was just a fairytale, you slowly proved to me that it wasn’t.” 

“I thought about you after that. Even on the most confusing of days, I  _ thought _ of you and it brightened my day. No matter what was going on. You were a breath of fresh air in the spring, a warm ray of sunlight in the summer, the first snow in winter, and the changing of the leaves in fall. I love your wit and your way of saying what’s on your mind without fear. I love the way that you care about me and everyone around you, always being a source of strength and support. I hope that when things get hard, rather than dealing with it on your own and struggling by yourself, you lean on me and let me be  _ your _ support. I hope that you let me be the cause of one of your smiles that I love so much. I hope that you always find joy in teasing me, even though I can’t stand it, and that you’ll find plenty of reasons to laugh out loud with me. Or… at me.”

“With you, I feel like I can do anything. I feel like you won’t let me fail, you’ll just tell me that I’m being stupid and shouldn’t give up so easily. With you, I’ve done things that I never dreamed of doing, had fun in the most bizarre of circumstances and I know that, in the future, I’ll have plenty more strange and hilarious adventures. Being with you is always an adventure.” 

“I love you, Kuon, and I vow to keep loving you through  _ every _ adventure.” 

Kuon didn’t stop the tear from rolling down his cheek as she spoke. He did however, bring up his hand to wipe her cheeks. 

He grabbed both of her hands tightly.

“Kyoko, from the day I met you, I changed. Being able to meet a woman who was able to handle how I speak, without getting too emotional, was life changing. But, unfortunately, I started this relationship on a lie. Despite that, you have stood by me, and supported me. You encouraged me to grow - to be a better person, a better fae, and a better ruler. And we’ve had hardships. There have been too many arguments to count, but beyond that, a hell of a lot more good times. And I want to be with you everyday to experience more arguments, and more good times.” 

“Your adventurous, yet naive spirit has led you to me, and I hope that you stay true to yourself. I want you to know that I will do the same for you. I will try to be me- the best version of me- for you. I will continue to support you and push you to be a better version of yourself, as well. Although this may have been built on a lie, know that that will never happen again. Know that I will not stand in your way of being who you want to be and who you are meant to be. I- I know I kind of fu- messed up my proposal. But, I’ll make up for it here, and tell you that I want you to be by my side forever.”

“I will love you unconditionally, and, in this moment, you have made me the happiest I’ve ever been, as well as the proudest. Someone told me that once we’re married, we will be partners and face the world together. He said we’d be there for each other in a way that no one else will be able to. And I firmly believe that, because you have moved me in ways that no one else has. Your presence in my life has made me brighter, and I thank you for it. I don’t want to ramble, but I do want you to know, I am head over heels for you. I’ve never felt this way before, and I’m scared, and nervous, but, if you are with me, there is  _ nothing _ I could not do. I love you, Kyoko.”

As Kuon finished, he noticed that sniffling was coming from the crowd, and although he had been looking at Kyoko the entire time, he hadn’t noticed her practically sobbing. He couldn’t help but chuckle at how much she reminded him of when they first met.

Shockingly, she reached up and wiped away the tears he hadn’t known were on his own face.

“May I have the rings, please?” The officiant said after a pause.

A young man, a noble’s son, Kuon was made aware, stepped forward with the two rings placed delicately onto a pillow. 

“Thank you, Hiou. Please, repeat after me. I give you this ring, as a daily reminder of my love for you.”

Kuon and Kyoko looked into each other’s eyes as they slid the ring onto one another’s finger.

“I give you this ring, as a daily reminder of my love for you.” They both repeated.

“Now, with the power vested in me, I now pronounce you, Princess Kyoko Takarada of Vicinia, and Prince Kuon Hizuri of Sylva, husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride.”

Kuon, out of excitement, pulled Kyoko towards him gently. He gazed into her eyes and placed a hand under her chin. He forgot everyone else watching them, and for this moment, once again, it was just him and Kyoko.

“I love you  _ so  _ much, you know that?”

“Sure. I love you more, though.” Kyoko replied quietly.

As she smiled, he leaned down and kissed her gently, and slowly, trying to put all his emotions into this one act. He felt her wrap her arms around his neck and he grabbed her waist, pulling her closer.

The roar of applause broke him out of his trance, and he pulled away from Kyoko. They gazed into each other’s eyes once more, and then turned to the standing crowd hand in hand. They walked down the aisle, smiling even brighter at their friends and family as hundreds of flower petals were tossed over their heads as they headed back into the castle. 

For a brief moment, as they were walking, Kuon glanced at Shotaro who was still sitting down. His eyes were downcast and he didn’t look up when Kuon passed. And for a second, a  _ small _ second, he felt a bit of sympathy for the man.

Nonetheless, Kuon followed Kyoko into the castle where Kanae and Chiori were already waiting.

“Kyoko, come on, we have to get you changed.” Chiori rushed.

Kuon’s mother had ensured that Kyoko had a separate dress for the reception, one that was much easier to walk in, but he was reluctant to let go of her hand. She looked over at him, and he nodded his head. Kuon placed a kiss on Kyoko’s forehead and let go of her hand.

“Go. My mother will have a fit if everything doesn’t go according to her schedule.”

She nodded her head and ran off with Kanae and Chiori. Kuon watched her walk off and hadn’t even noticed the chamberlain from before, Sebastian, standing beside him.

“I was instructed to take you to the ballroom.” 

Kuon nodded his head and followed Sebastian to the largest ballroom in the castle. People were filing into their arranged seats, and at one end of the ballroom was a long table where King Lory, Julienna, and Kuu sat with two empty seats between them. When Kuon entered the room, everyone broke out into applause once more and he caught the eyes of his mother, who seemed pleased. 

Kuon steadfastly made his way to the table and sat in his designated seat beside his mother. She squeezed his hand and leaned in towards him.

“That was beautiful, sweetheart. Your father was in tears. He and King Lory were practically sobbing onto each other’s shoulders.” 

She pulled away slightly and looked at him seriously. “But what did you mean in your vows? When you said your relationship was built on a  _ lie _ ?” 

Kuon turned to his mother with fear in his eyes, but then the trumpeters began playing. He let out a sigh of relief as the doors opened, and Chiori and Kanae walked in with Kyoko behind. Everyone in the room stood and began cheering and applauding her.

Without hesitation, Kuon walked over to Kyoko and held out his hand.

“I missed you.” He shouted over the roar of everyone else. 

“I missed you, too.” Kyoko grinned. 

Before Kuon could get in another word, the trumpeters blasted again.

King Lory stood from his chair and everyone’s attention averted to him. 

“It is now time for the bride and groom’s first dance as husband and wife.”

Kuon offered his arm, and led Kyoko to the center of the ballroom. The violinists played, and Kuon did his best to remember the dance he had spent weeks trying to master. He fell into a rhythm and led Kyoko around the ballroom with ease.

“Everyone’s jealous,” he whispered to her.

“Of  _ what _ , exactly?” Kyoko wondered, glancing around curiously. 

“Well, of you, of course, for having such a dashing young man at your side. But more so of me. I get to dance with the second most beautiful girl in the room.”

Kyoko’s eyes narrowed and she faltered slightly in the dance. She had way more experience dancing than he did though, and picked up the rhythm again quickly. “W-what? Who’s the first?” 

“You want me to risk my mother hearing she isn’t the most beautiful person in the room? Your castle would fall.” Kuon said with a grin.

“Oh, your  _ mother _ .” Kyoko breathed and there was an odd note of relief in her voice. “I don’t think anyone is really that jealous of you. I’m just Kyoko. Who knows why you even decided to-” 

“Hey. Don’t you dare. I’ll let you in on a little secret. And promise you won’t tell?”

Kyoko raised her eyebrows questioningly. “I promise...” 

Kuon leaned in towards her ear. “You’re the most beautiful person in this kingdom. And if you ever need reminding, I’ll tell you as much as possible. Even right in front of my mother.”

Kyoko sighed, leaning on his shoulder. “Alright, Kuon, whatever you say. You’ve gotten pretty good at dancing. Especially considering how terrible you were at first. Have you been practicing?” 

“You know, if you don’t start accepting my compliments I’m gonna have to start giving them more until you believe me…” Kuon stated, but allowed her to change the subject.

“Anyways, I don’t practice. I’m a natural dancer.” Kuon grinned at her.

“ _ Sure _ .” Kyoko laughed lightly as Kuon guided her into a spin. “I can’t believe you cried reciting your vows. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you cry before.” 

“I was overcome with emotion. I mean, plenty of people tell me they love me, but to hear it so in-depth. It was almost like hearing me speak to myself… All jokes aside though… you made me- I’m just really happy to have you in my life, okay?”

“Yes,” Kyoko nodded and Kuon could practically hear the smile in her voice. “I sort of sensed that when you said you were  _ head over heels for me _ .” 

She shifted and pressed a kiss to his cheek as the song drew to a close. “Good thing I’m head over heels for you too.” 

Kuon bit his bottom lip to keep himself from smiling and pulled apart from her to applaud the violinists.

Kuon took Kyoko’s arm and directed her to her seat at the table. Once they sat, Julienna stood from her chair.

“Thank you,” she directed towards the violinists. “And now, I invite friends and family to come say a few words about the couple.”

Lory stood from his chair. 

“Well, I feel as king, I should go first. Kuon, and Kyoko,” he stated as he turned to face them. “You two are… a match I would not have chosen. But, Kuon, your mother is much smarter and wiser than me. And she saw what the two of you saw in one another. And today, I got a chance to see for myself, firsthand, what it is that draws you towards one another. A love that is comparable in depth to mine for Kyoko. Kuon, I have given you one of the most sacred things in my life, and I trust you not to shatter the faith I have placed in you. But you’re a smart man, a  _ brave _ man, and I’d like to think you are aware of what will happen if you do. And Kyoko, I entrust in your decision. You look at him with a passion I rarely see in you, and I would be remiss in advising you to go any other way. The two of you have my utmost support.”

Everyone gave a round of applause as Lory sat down in his chair again.

Julienna stood up after him and smiled warmly as her eyes landed on Kyoko and Kuon. 

“As a parent, it’s one of our biggest wishes to see our kids grow up healthy and happy. That’s all I ever wished for my son. Of course, I always pushed him to do better and try harder because I knew that there were heights that he didn’t know he could reach. As Lory said, I saw both Kuon and Kyoko as a match made to be. I have an eye for those sorts of things. I knew that the world had aligned just  _ so _ , that they were meant to meet each other when they did and meant to teach each other the lessons that they have. They remind me of me and my own husband when we were younger. Youthful and full of love and positivity. Just what we all need at this moment in time. Thank you for sharing your love with us today. It’s an inspiration.” 

Kuon squeezed onto Kyoko’s hand as his mother spoke. He hoped her words rang true and they lived as happily as his mother and father have.

All eyes moved to Kuu as he finally stood to speak.

The evidence that he’d been crying was all over his face. He didn’t even bother trying to hide it at all and Kuon didn’t know whether he was embarrassed or proud of his father in that moment. Probably both.

“Uh…” Kuu sighed and shook his head. “While I’m usually quite well versed, today I find myself with little to say. I’m happy… to an extent that words cannot describe, to see my son so fully and wholly in love. I still remember when he was a little boy picking bugs out of the ground and eating them. He was…” 

Kuu laughed. “A complete rascal as a child and I always thought that it was best to let him learn his own lessons. A man learns from his mistakes and tries to do better. It wasn’t until recently, when I watched my son make his mistakes and then learn from them and try to be better, that I realized he’d become a man right in front of my eyes. A good man, one that I’m proud to call my son. I’m just as proud to call Princess Kyoko my daughter in law.” 

Kuon found himself with tears streaming down his face. Although he had only once told his father of his fears of living up to his expectations, he was happy to hear from his mouth that he was proud. It was all Kuon could do to keep himself from leaping into a hug.

Kuon wondered who would say something next and was surprised to see Yashiro standing up out of the corner of his eye. The man seemed nervous in front of so many eyes but he held Kuon’s gaze steadily. 

“I’ve been best friends with Kuon for as long as I can remember. We grew up together and I watched as he bore the weight that was on his shoulders with ease. I always looked up to him. He was always helping those in need of aid, no matter what the cost and I admired that tenacity for justice. I’m extremely proud of him today, for finding someone he truly loves to spend the rest of his life with. I’ve never said it in so many words... but I’m grateful for your friendship. It means the world to me.” 

Kuon was getting a little upset at all the attention on him. He was grateful, but his face was turning red, and he had a fear of crying in front of so many people again. Needless to say, he was relieved to see Chiori and Kanae step forward.

“Normally, servants wouldn’t speak at this moment,” Kanae began.

“But, it must be known that we have known Kyoko since we were young ourselves. And despite not knowing of her heritage, she never treated us differently. I can come off as rude and abrasive, but she never feared me,” Chiori added.

“And I know how distant I can be, but she was always so warm and inviting. Kyoko, we worry for you, and we do occasionally baby you, but know that it’s all from a place of love.” Kanae said.

“And, admittedly, we weren’t a fan of you Ku- Prince Kuon. But, I know- I’ve  _ seen _ how much you care about her. And I am trusting you to honor her and everything she means to us.” Chiori said.

Her words were calm, but Kuon could see the meaning behind her eyes. 

“We won’t take up any more time. But we love you, Kyoko. And we are happy that you found someone deserving of experiencing your love.” Kanae finished, and the two of them headed back to their assigned positions.

Kuon had thought the two of them were the last of it, but he could see Shotaro beginning to stand hesitantly. Kuon subconsciously sat forward, and he felt Kyoko gently squeeze his hand.

“Um, I don’t typically speak at these things. And, you all know who I am, so you probably could guess why I wouldn’t even want to. But... Kyoko, I hurt you. I know that I did. I have never regretted anything so much in my life and I want you to know, that despite everything, I do love you. I want you to be happy, whether that is with me, or a man you determine to be more deserving. And Kuon… we have been at odds for a long time. And I won’t lie and say I like you. But I do like that you treat Kyoko with respect and with love. Take it from someone who knows, this is a woman you do not want to lose. If you  _ ever _ take her for granted, know that there is always someone who could love her more.” 

He sat down, and there was a fickle applause that followed. There was an awkward silence until Julienna stood from her chair once more.

“Thank you for your kind words, everyone. The band will now play and everyone feel free to move around, mingle, and enjoy the food.”

The band began playing and there was a soft build up of voices in the ballroom. Julienna sat down and looked over at Kuon.

“That young man... I should have a word with him. If he wanted to challenge you on your wedding day there are certain  _ formalities _ that must be arranged beforehand.”

“Mother, please don’t. For him, that was actually quite nice.” Kuon said with a chuckle.

Among the people moving around, Kuon could see Kijima approaching the table. He leaned into Kyoko alerting her that he’ll return, while she stood to dance with her father, and went to greet his friend. 

“Kuon.” Kijima greeted with an easy smile. “You look good in a suit.” 

“I sure hope so, I’ve been wearing it all day. What did you think?” Kuon questioned. 

“ _ Stunning _ , especially from afar. Probably would have taken my breath away up close.” 

Kuon hesitated for a moment. “The ceremony…? Or…?”

“The ceremony,  _ of course _ .” Kijima smirked. “It was beautiful. Brought tears to my eyes a couple of times.” 

Kuon eyed Kijima for a second, but decided to let it slide.

“Yeah, a hell of a  _ ceremony _ , huh? Did you shed a tear seeing your only real relationship get hitched to a princess?”

“ _ Oh _ . It was like a knife twisting in my heart. How could you do this to me? I thought we had something special.” Kijima pouted for a moment before smiling again as he squeezed Kuon’s shoulder. “I just wanted to congratulate you, really. I’ve never seen two people look at each other the way that the two of you did today.  _ Love _ , huh?” 

Kuon felt a twinge of guilt tug at him.

“Yeah… Look, Kijima… I know I don’t- Alright, I’m never saying this again, but… I do love you. You know that right?” 

“Aww,” Kijima cooed and patted Kuon’s cheek. “That was so cute. I love you, too. We’re good, don’t worry about it. I just… well, I also sort of came over here to ask approval for a dance. If that’s alright?” 

Kuon looked over at Kyoko. “I’m sure she wouldn’t mind, let’s go…” 

Kuon jokingly stepped towards the ballroom floor and paused. “Unless, of course, you would like to dance with Kyoko, in which case, I don’t know why you’re asking  _ me _ .”

Kijima rolled on the balls of his feet, glancing over at Kyoko briefly. “I was just checking with you first. I promise to keep my hands above the waistline.” 

“Not too far above the waistline, I hope. Kijima, I trust you. Go. I have a dance with Jelly waiting for me.” Kuon tapped Kijima on the shoulder and headed to where Jelly sat.

She watched as Kuon approached her, and he bowed with his hand extended towards her.

“May I have this dance?” Kuon asked.

A grin spread across her face. “I’d be delighted, Kuon.” 

He offered her his arm, and she walked with him to the dance floor where several others had begun to dance, Kijima and Kyoko included. From the corner of his eye, Kuon could see Lory dancing with his mother and he chuckled at the sight, seeing his mother constantly talking Lory’s ear off.

Kuon grabbed Jelly’s hand and began dancing with her.

“So, how does it feel to be among the regular folk for so long? Making you miss your home, yet?”

“Not at all!” Jelly cried, laughing joyfully. “This is so much fun! I rarely get to attend things like this. It’s amazing. The  _ king _ is here!” 

“He is, indeed. Do you plan on talking to him? He  _ is _ single, you know.” Kuon said with a wink.

Jelly flushed a deep red. “I-I mean I can’t. He probably doesn’t even remember me! We met  _ decades _ ago!” 

“So? Then just go over and introduce yourself. You can start fresh.” Kuon urged.

“He’s the king! I can’t just go up and talk to him, what would I even say?” Jelly whined. 

Kuon slowly moved them closer and closer to where Lory and his mother were dancing. 

“You’ll be fine,” he whispered. 

“Hello, King Lory. I do believe I promised my mother a dance. Care to trade?”

Kuon could feel Jelly’s nails dig into his arm, but ignored it.

“Of course.” Lory handed Kuon his mother and offered his hand to Jelly.

Kuon could see her hesitating and gave her a slight push. Or, at least he thought so, but she staggered into Lory’s arms suddenly. 

“Are you alright?” Lory asked. 

All Jelly could do was nod her head, as Kuon began dancing with his mother.

Ever observant, his mother raised an eyebrow at him and gestured towards the two as they danced away. 

“What was that about?” 

“Just giving Jelly a much needed push. Besides, don’t you want to dance with your newlywed son?”

“I’ve been keeping myself busy just fine.” Julienna sighed. “Back in the day, your father and I used to go to all sorts of parties and dance the night away. Meanwhile, you can barely keep up to the pace of this song. I thought you were practicing for this.”

Kuon smirked at his mother. “I practiced for Kyoko. Everyone else is mere fodder.” 

“ _ Fodder _ ?” His mother echoed, incredulous and indignant. She smacked him on the back of the head. “Who’s the one that taught you to dance in the first place?” 

“I mean it’s hard to remember… It’s on the tip of my tongue… I wanna say… J… Jelly.” Kuon joked around.

His mother rolled her eyes and probably purposefully stepped on his foot as they turned. 

“Anyway, I wasn’t aware until today just how many suitors the princess had. I’ve heard that there’s a human gentleman here by the name of Hikaru, that would have wed her if Lory had his way. Watch out for him, I worry about the possibility of someone else challenging you rudely tonight.” 

“Mother, Hikaru is as much competition as you are. Hell, I’d sooner worry about Kijima before him.” Kuon said nonchalantly.

“Kijima?” His mother sounded surprised but, as usual, quickly covered it. “I suppose I’m not surprised but he doesn’t usually go for nice girls like the princess. His tastes are eclectic at best. Poor boy. I’ll have to see if I can find someone to set him up with. He should think about settling down soon as well.”

“Yeah, don’t push him too hard though. We just got married after all. Anyways, other than him I wouldn’t worry about challenges.” Kuon said glancing at Kyoko.

“Perhaps you’re right. Her ex-fiance is drowning himself in alcohol at the bar. Kyoko seems to be quite the heartbreaker. I’m glad she realized what a gem she had right in front of her.” 

“So, you’re where I get my ego from? You did a fine job boosting my confidence mother. Of course, being the most handsome man in the room everywhere you go doesn’t hurt either.” 

“Getting married went straight to your head.” Julienna sighed, tiredly.“I need to find someone else to keep up with me, anyway. You’re dragging instead of leading and giving me more work.”

Kuon couldn’t help himself from bursting into laughter as his mother went off to dance with some Vicinia noble. He was about ready to head to his seat when he saw Kyoko walking up to him.

“Hey husband,” She smiled brightly and Kuon tried not to let the title affect him too much. “I have someone I want you to meet.” 

“Of course. Who?” Kuon asked, looking around.

“A little lower,” Kyoko laughed. Kuon looked down and saw the flower girl from earlier. “My niece, Maria. She’s visiting just for the wedding. She’s one of my favorite people so I want her to meet another one of my favorite people.” 

“Well, hello. My name is Kuon.” He held out his hand to greet her.

“I know. So you’re the one who married my aunt, huh?” 

Kuon was admittedly taken aback by how blunt she was, but quickly became intrigued.

“How old are you?” He asked.

“Eight years old. And how old are you?”

“I’m twenty-one. Would you like to dance with me?” Kuon asked, extending his hand.

Maria looked up at Kyoko, and Kuon was surprised to see Maria’s face was becoming red.

“Um, are you any good?” She asked.

Kuon hesitated for a moment.

“Far from it. But I’m sure you could teach me.” 

Kuon saw her cheeks blush even more, and found himself relieved that at least someone in Kyoko’s family liked him. Maria grabbed his hand, and he nodded to Kyoko to let her know it was okay to go.

Maria climbed onto his shoes, something she seemed to have done before, but it startled Kuon at first.

“Do you dance with a lot of taller people, Maria?” He questioned.

“My father mostly. He couldn’t come today, though… Too many nobles.”

“You could have fooled me. You seem like the type of girl to have all the boys charmed.” Kuon said with a charming smile.

Maria’s face turned red yet again and turned her head away to avoid eye contact.

“You’d be happy to have your father come visit with you, huh? Well, how about I see what I can do. He may be exiled in Vicinia but  _ I’m _ the prince of Sylva, and last I checked he isn’t banned there.”

Kuon saw her eyes light up.

“You mean it, right? I have your word?”

Kuon grinned at her. “You have my word. Besides, I’d like to meet my brother-in-law.” 

Maria giggled, and as the music came to an end, everyone stopped their dancing to applaud. Somehow, Julienna had found her way in front of the band and Kuon could see the excitement in his mother’s eyes. 

“Okay everyone, it is now time for the bouquet throw. Ladies, please, gather around the center of the room if you would. Princess Kyoko is going to be tossing it shortly. It’s said that whoever catches the new bride’s bouquet will be the next to be married!”

Kuon looked down at Maria who was still holding his hand. 

“You don’t want to try and catch it?”

Maria flushed and shook her head. “I couldn’t marry the person I wanted to anyways.”

Kuon knelt down beside Maria, and squeezed her hand.

“Maybe not, but one day you  _ will _ end up marrying someone who loves you as much as I love Kyoko. But if you don’t go try, you’re selling yourself short.”

Maria looked at him with skeptic eyes, but nodded her head.

“Okay. But I’ll wait until I’m of age.”

Kuon couldn’t help but laugh as he turned his attention back to the bouquet toss. Eligible women all gathered to the center of the ballroom and he could see his wife on the other side of them all. Her back was turned to them all and he could barely hear her count down.

She tossed the group of flowers in the air, and he watched as they landed in the hands of Jelly. The shock on her face was enough to last him many lifetimes. 

Kuon excused himself away from Maria, and walked over to Kyoko.

“She wants to marry your father, you know?” Kuon stated matter-of-factly.

Kyoko’s eyes went wide and she glanced towards Jelly. “Does she? I’m not against it but… my father hasn’t dated in years. I’d be fairly impressed if she managed to win him over.”

“Jelly has a way of getting what she wants. The party is winding down… You want to sneak out to avoid all the goodbye formalities?” Kuon asked.

“Yes, I do, actually,” Kyoko sighed. “I’m exhausted. I’ve been dancing all night, I felt like it was rude to reject any requests, especially since they came all the way here to see me.”

“Exhausted, huh?” Kuon said leaning in close to Kyoko. “How exhausted exactly?” 

“Exhausted enough that my legs are practically going numb.” Kyoko laughed quietly. 

Kuon bit his tongue, and took a deep breath. He had to remind himself that this was the princess he was talking to.

  
“Well, we can head upstairs and take a bath to relax,” He whispered into her ear.

  
Kyoko shuddered and it was just a slight movement but Kuon noticed it. “... Okay.” 

Kuon paused for a brief moment. That was not the response he was expecting. 

“Kyoko, you do realize I mean to take a bath  _ together _ , right?” 

Kyoko flushed then and dropped her gaze briefly before she looked up at him again. “Oh.  _ Oh _ . I- um… I don’t know if we could both fit in the bathtub but that should… it should be okay, right?” 

Kuon hesitated. He really wasn’t expecting that response.

He couldn’t help the grin that found its way to his face.

“Damn, I love you.”

Kyoko smiled shyly and leaned up to press a kiss to his lips. They were both smiling though, so it made kissing difficult. 

“I love you, too. I wish I wasn’t so tired, I’d love to just dance in your arms for the rest of the night.”

Kuon lifted Kyoko up into his arms. He was excited, and couldn’t stop beaming.

“I have a better idea. Let’s go consummate our marriage!”

“Wait, what?!” Kyoko cried, and the blush on her face was intense. “I thought you wanted to take a  _ bath _ !” 

Kuon laughed and kissed her again without responding. He couldn’t even believe how much he loved her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who's read this story and enjoyed it and those who have left kudos and comments! We're glad you're enjoying the story as much as we enjoyed writing it and appreciate you all for giving this story a chance... this is basically the last chapter but we decided to add in an extra chapter so stay tuned for that!


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, the main Wings story is over, but everyone knows that wedding festivities aren't over until someone's crying into their drink and that aunt everyone hates has insulted over half the party.
> 
> ... In other words, get ready for some After Wedding extras!

Everyone in town had gone off to the castle to ‘celebrate the coming of a new age’. People had gotten up early, and dressed up all fancy for today. It was pointless, it’s not like any of them would catch a glimpse of anything. The princess was getting married - and to a fae at that. And, in all of Vicinia, and most likely Sylva too, there lay one open bar which the bartender refused to close. He hadn’t shut down for the death of Princess Saena, and her supposed daughter’s wedding wasn’t going to stop him either. People called him Uncle Tiger, perhaps because he was a mixture of strict and caring, but he didn’t mind much. Money is money, he’d always felt, and he found that he didn’t have the luxury of closing the doors.

A strange young man stumbled into his bar as soon as the wedding began, and he had been ordering drink after drink. Uncle Tiger recognized him, most people would - Reino, the outsider of Vicinia. He didn’t have his usual posse with him, but he seemed awfully distraught. Normally, when someone came in looking like a puppy just died, he would be quick to chat with them and ask their problems. But, Reino was known for his witch magic, and his love for the princess. It was obvious to see which was bothering him today, and it wasn’t worth Uncle Tiger’s time.

As he was pouring Reino his fourth mug of whiskey, the bar door violently swung open and in walked two young men, both of whom looked vaguely familiar. They were chattering away, both clearly already inebriated, and Uncle Tiger watched as they absentmindedly sat next to Reino. He figured they must be outsiders. Drunk or not, people who knew of Reino didn’t willingly choose to sit next to him. However, these two boys barely seemed to notice that he was even there.

“A drink please, bartender.” The young brown-haired man gestured to the bartender. 

Any other day, he would’ve denied this man a drink and sent him home. But, it was the day of a momentous wedding. Besides that though, business had been slow and he couldn’t afford to turn anyone away. And by the look of things, this man seemed to be quite wealthy. 

Uncle Tiger took out two mugs and filled them with wine. He placed them down in front of the two men, and, finally getting a good look, recognized who they were. Shotaro Fuwa and Hikaru Ishibashi. That piqued his interest. From the rumors, he had heard these two were at the wedding. Hikaru: a potential love interest rejected by the princess, and Shotaro: a man who spoiled his opportunity to get in good with the princess. An interesting duo to see together and he couldn’t help that his curiosity had been piqued. And for the first time, in a very long time, he found himself eavesdropping in on his customers.

“One girl. And that was it. The nail in my coffin! I didn’t even get to touch the bi- woman. And it’s over just like that! I mean… she only caught me trying to get a kiss in… Did I deserve this? If we’re being completely honest, who hasn’t cheated…? At least, once. The least she could have done is given me a second chance. But noooo! She moves on right away like some whore into the arms of another man! At the very least I should’ve bagged the broad. Then there would at least be a reason to put my ass out.” Shotaro took a swig from his mug.

Uncle Tiger, who was vaguely listening, perked up at Shotaro calling the princess a name. He was never one for gossip, and as a well respected bartender, everything said here was confidential. But, although he had heard people disgracing the name of the Hizuri family, and calling the Takarada royal family traitors, this was a first for him. Despite how people may feel about the fae, the Takarada family had always been good to the people and would never be personally attacked.

Uncle Tiger began pretending to clean as he watched the three boys carefully. He knew an argument was coming when Reino put down his fourth mug and turned towards the two nobles.

“What did you just call her? She is nothing of the sort. She is a wonderful, kind, beautiful, and- and benevolent, and- and- and… radiant… I have never cheated. And I would certainly never cheat on her!” Reino shouted out of anger.

Shotaro and Hikaru, who hadn’t noticed Reino was there up until now, turned their attention to him. His face was red from all the alcohol he had been drinking, and Shotaro and Hikaru’s faces were the same. Uncle Tiger held back a chuckle at the sight of these two nobles looking like young teens enjoying their first drink. The bartender picked up an empty glass and pretended to clean it as he watched the confrontation.

“Oh, yeah righ-... You…! What the hell are you…? You know what? Yeah, of course you wouldn’t cheat on her. Your infatuation with the princess is concerning, you know that, right? Like who the fuck do you think you are?” Shotaro seemed like he was ready to go on a rant but changed his mind, and he shook his head.

“Ugh, whatever. Drinking away the pain? The thought of losing your shrine focus too much for you? Me too buddy. I’m nowhere near as deranged as you but all the same. I’m feeling generous tonight. Why don’t you join in on this pity party?” Shotaro said with a laugh.

“Who the fuck is this guy?” Hikaru edged in.

“This creep,” Shotaro said, placing an arm around Reino. “Is the man who’s been in love with Kyoko all his life. And it’s the sad kind of love. The kind that makes you want to tell the palace guards to keep him as far away from the princess as possible. He even tried to kidnap her to get her!” 

He burst out into laughter, and Reino shoved Shotaro’s arm off. 

“Hey! I didn’t… I love her… Which is more than you could say.” Reino said.

“Oh please. You think you’re special? You love her, I love her, Shotaro here loves her. But only one person has her… So, in conclusion, you’re about as special as this wine.” Hikaru chuckled and chugged the wine. 

“See? So you can join the fucking pity party, creep.” Shotaro added in.

“Stop calling me that, you minor excuse for a man.” Reino said, with an anger growing in his voice.

“Oh? I’m the one who’s barely a man? I got Kyoko without all the crime. And you’re still holding onto a chance meeting from years ago.” Shotaro said, starting to stand up. 

Uncle Tiger moved to end the fight before it began. In his many years, he has never allowed a fight and today would not be that day. But, before he could place down the glass he was pretending to clean, the door to the bar opened. 

Everyone’s attention was drawn to the door and Uncle Tiger almost dropped the glass when he saw who was coming in. The prince himself - Kuon. He ushered in with confidence and wrapped his arms around both Shotaro and Hikaru.

“Honestly did not expect to see the two of you! What on earth are you guys doing here? The party’s still going on back at the castle!” Kuon laughed.

“Oh, and why are you here exactly? I thought you just got married? Couldn’t get up the little guy, huh? That’s alright though, happens to the worst of us. So sad…” Shotaro piped up, taking another swig.

Kuon chuckled and pulled out a stool. He gestured toward the bartender for a drink and took a sip before addressing Shotaro.

“I got in her room… In her… And I stayed for a very long time, Shotaro. But, unfortunately, she grew tired and wanted to sleep. And I wanted to drink in a place where I didn’t have to socialize. So, here I am. Why are you here?” Kuon finished with a condescending tone, and he chuckled as he took another drink.

Shotaro didn’t respond and merely chugged the rest of his wine, and gestured to the bartender for another.

Uncle Tiger nearly forgot himself in his eavesdropping, and fumbled to hurry the drink over to him.

Suddenly, there was a loud smack sound and the bartender looked up to see Hikaru’s hand firmly placed on Kuon’s back.

“Look. I know we have our differences and all. What with you being a… Let’s not beat around the bush. We all know that out of the four of us, we’re all more deserving of the princess. Hell, even that half-fae dickhead is more deserving. At least, he was willing to put in some work for it... All of this to say… congratulations on the wedding. You bagged the rarest bird.”

Kuon made a face but before he could respond, Reino slammed down his drink.

“Bullshit, rat nose. The most he deserves- the most any of you deserve is the ability to breathe the same air as the princess. She was mine. And I’m the only one who has been faithful and honest with her. You’re all the same, hiding away some part of yourself to best fit into what the princess wants you to be. He doesn’t deserve a congratulations for being a thief. And you two didn’t deserve the opportunity you had to win her over.”

Kuon burst into laughter, and Uncle Tiger finally noticed that he was drunk too.

“You’re crazy, Reino… And you know, if it weren’t for Kyoko, my wife, showing you the mercy that she had, you’d be rotting away in a cell right now. And if it weren’t for the fact that today is the day of our wedding, I’d have you lying in a ditch somewhere…” Kuon sighed and chugged his drink. “But still, you’re right… Unfortunately, I don’t deserve her… None of us do. But don’t think that’s any excuse to move in. I will break your bones if you get anywhere near her again.”

“Yeah, I mean you did ‘take her purity’. Or at least, that’s what she called it.” Hikaru chimed in.

“Twice, techni-” Kuon began but Hikaru cut him off.

“I mean, who the fuck calls a kiss taking their purity? Here I was, thinking that the princess got down and dirty and no. A measly kiss. But that was enough to sweep her off her feet, I guess. Now look at me. I’m nothing more than a good friend. Hikaru Ishibashi hasn’t been just friends with a female since I was young. What the fuck!? I liked her too! I love her! What’s so great about-”

“You never stood a chance… what was it he called you…? Rat nose.” Shotaro laughed at his unoriginal joke.

“She was mine. I was the original suitor. I was there before any of you. And if I really wanted to, I could have her-”

“Oh, could you now?” Kuon asked. “Because, as I recall, you tried but she full out rejected you for… hmm… Oh yeah, me. And, as a matter of fact, you were her fiance for years and strangely enough she hadn’t had her first kiss before I met her. Or her first of many things for that matter. So, please inform us, Shotaro. If you really wanted to, what is it you could do?”

“Oh, shut up. Or need I remind you, that she kissed me back that day? You’re feeling high and mighty because you got between her legs. I could’ve done that time and time again. She just… I just didn’t want to. It was my choice. So…” Shotaro rubbed his hair, keeping his head down.

Reino cackled in the silence.

“You’re so stupid. All of you. How could you miss out on that opportunity!? If I just had the princess for one day…”

“You did have her for one day, as I recall Shotaro saying? And judging by how much Kuon has been boasting, it doesn’t seem like much happened.” Hikaru said.

Reino stared him down. “You know what I mean, rat nose.”

“Can you come up with something original half-breed? You’re such a recluse do you even know what you could do to her?”

Uncle Tiger eyed Kuon at Hikaru’s comment, but he seemed invested in downing his mug.

“Well, I… I would… Listen, Roku- Mi- Miroku would… It’s none of your business either way what we would do together. Love between two people is sacred. Miroku says-” Reino stuttered through the end of his sentence.

“What, is that your boyfriend or something?” Hikaru asked.

Reino’s face turned red and he was about to protest, but Hikaru didn’t give him the chance.

“I don’t need anyone else to tell me what I would do… I’d get the princess on her hands and knees and-”

“Oh, really? This coming from Lory’s token boy, here? He preferred you over me and Shotaro combined.” Kuon noted.

“I tried to warn her about what an ungrateful piece of shit you were when we met, but both her and Lory are as blind as bats. I mean who would choose either of you over-” Shotaro began but Hikaru didn’t seem finished.

“Yeah, the whole innocent boy nonsense. Look, I’m not a bad guy, but do you think anyone is such a fucking prude? I mean, come on. Any eligible bachelor would jump at the chance to get with the princess. We’re not all fuck ups like Shotaro, here. A chance to boost your family status and wealth, all with the bonus of being with a beautiful woman… It’s unheard of.”

“Alright, you wanna take it down a notch?” Shotaro glared.

“Oh shut up, you half-witted pussy. You had all the chances in the world and now you’re here crying and groveling about the girl you threw away! At the very least, if you’re going to cheat do not get caught. That’s the number one rule. Although, I guess you deserve some praise. You had the balls to do it in her home. Right under her nose. Disgusting. But still, there is some underlying respect for you.” Hikaru said with a fake applause.

Uncle Tiger could see that Hikaru was getting angrier by the second. Amidst his ranting, the bartender snuck away Hikaru’s drink at a meager attempt at damage control.

“Hey! The princess-” Reino began.

“And you are a sad excuse for an attempt at a human. Kidnapping a princess? How lonely do you have to be?! Especially when you clearly have someone else who…”

As Hikaru raged through his rant about Reino being a man lover, Uncle Tiger noticed the door to the bar opening again. And, at the sight of King Lory entering, he immediately bowed to show his respect. King Lory smiled widely and waved at him, signaling him to continue his work. Unfortunately, although everyone else seemed to notice King Lory, Hikaru had not.

“And you know what…? Who gives a fuck about the princess? Alright, she’s hot and- and- funny and nice and whatnot… But at the end of the day you know what she is?”

Prince Kuon had a large grin on his face and turned to Hikaru with a seemingly piqued interest. Uncle Tiger almost had the urge to stop the young man from making a bigger fool of himself. Admittedly though, this was the most fun he’d had in a while and to cease it in its prime would be ridiculous.

Uncle Tiger had convinced himself that Hikaru needed to let out all of his pent up anger and aggression. Pouring himself a drink, he leaned back, and took a sip as Kuon requested Hikaru to continue.

“I’m not sure, but I’d like to be enlightened.”

“Pussy! She’s just another girl to get it in and move on! As a matter of fact, I was smart to get away while I had the chance. You’re the true fool here, Kuon. And the rest of you too, actually. Why am I drinking my night away over some bitch who doesn’t-”

King Lory cleared his throat and Hikaru immediately quieted down.

“I see you boys are discussing…?” King Lory suggestively asked.

The boys were all silent as King Lory eyed each of them down one by one. Uncle Tiger followed King Lory’s eyes. He moved to Prince Kuon first. His face was red and he avoided eye contact with King Lory, as he swirled around what was left in his mug. Then King Lory looked over at Reino. There was a fire in the king’s eyes that the bartender has never seen before, or even heard tale of. But after all the eavesdropping he had done tonight, there was no question as to why. Uncle Tiger made a mental note to warn people even more of steering clear of Reino and his troublesome group. King Lory then moved on to Shotaro who sat unmoving. He hadn’t turned around to look at the king and he kept his head low. Uncle Tiger assumed it was a feeble attempt at remaining unnoticed. And, lastly, King Lory settled on Hikaru who could barely stand still, and was on the verge of talking again. Somehow, there seemed to be a sadness behind the king’s eyes. It was clear from what Prince Kuon had said, that the king favored the young man. Unfortunately, it seemed he bet on the wrong horse. If Uncle Tiger were to switch positions with King Lory, he had no doubt he would have the same pained and troubled expression on his face.

“...Kyoko is pretty hot.” Hikaru stated, and after some contemplation, followed up with an unconvincing. “Sir.”

The rest of the boys did their best to hold back their chuckles and snickers, and Uncle Tiger found himself doing the same.

“Kuon, Kyoko awoke, and she’s asking for you. I don’t know what it is you’re doing down here, but please see that you return to my daughter immediately. As for the rest of you, head home, or back to your designated rooms. It’s late and you’re very…” King Lory paused as his eyes lingered on the swaying Hikaru. “Intoxicated.”

“Y-Yes, King Lory…” They all quietly muttered.

“And Shotaro,” King Lory said as they began heading for the door, dropping money on the bar counter. “Please ensure Hikaru returns to his room safely.”

Shotaro gave him a curt nod and helped the stumbling Hikaru out of the bar. When they all left, King Lory sighed and took a seat at the counter.

“A drink, please.”

Uncle Tiger placed a mug of whiskey in front of King Lory and, for a brief moment, he thought he saw a tear roll down the man’s cheek.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is entirely self-indulgent of us and since we've seen quite a few comments telling us how much you love him, we're extra glad to give this to you. Enjoy the last chapter of Wings! 
> 
> (In which we test just HOW ridiculous Kijima can be, especially whilst drunk)

Kijima couldn’t remember the last time he’d been to a wedding. 

He tended to avoid them, admittedly, all the formalities and talk of everlasting love never suited him. Plus, most of the women he knew that were getting married were women that he’d had some sort of relationship with in the past. He was never that interested in attending. Most of the time, he wasn’t invited anyways. 

It didn’t bother him, he started and ended relationships easily without lingering feelings. But in the off-chance that the groom knew of his relationship with the bride it would lead to awkwardness, tension, and bullshit alpha male posturing. 

Kijima was a lot of things; a wonderful and attentive lover, a man of irresistible charismatic charm, a gentleman when it mattered, but he was most definitely not a fighter. 

So, yes, maybe he avoided weddings as much as he avoided women that wanted to marry him but he couldn’t convince himself to miss _ this _ one. 

Princess Kyoko Takarada of Vicinia’s royal wedding to Prince Kuon Hizuri of Sylva. 

At the very least, it was a historical moment in history that he shouldn’t miss. He’d also be a terrible friend if he missed his best friend’s wedding. Maybe he’d be more of a sane person to have skipped seeing the one woman who’d managed to stir his heart getting married off to someone else. 

Still, he was happy for them both as he watched the ceremony. Kyoko looked absolutely _ stunning _ in her wedding dress, she was so beautiful that Kijima was sure she’d probably take his breath away if she showed him one of her bright smiles. But no, her eyes were focused on his best friend. And he was _ happy _ for them both. Really. 

Their vows to each other were cute and Kijima couldn’t believe that he was actually seeing Kuon cry for the first time in his life. He wasn’t even surprised that someone like Kyoko could bring out emotion like that in the stone wall that Kuon could sometimes be. 

Yes, the ceremony was beautiful. Exactly, what he’d expect of the combined royal forces of the world marrying off their children to each other. 

Dramatic and over the top, just how he liked most things. 

Now, he was sitting at a table with Yashiro and some other human nobles he didn’t know. They were an older married couple and Kijima smirked to himself when he noticed the wife glancing at him a few times through the reception. If her husband wasn’t right next to her and shooting suspicious looks at both himself and Yashiro periodically he might have done a bit more than just wink at her when he caught her looking at him for the second time. He wasn’t trying to cause a scene at a wedding that was so important. 

Not to mention, that the seating had obviously been arranged so that each held an equal amount of both fae and human guests. Kijima wasn’t one for politics, but he didn’t think that such an obvious move would scream anything but desperation. 

The official marriage of a fae and half-fae human ruler was saying enough. 

Kuon had been the first to enter the room after all the guests were seated and served sparkling flutes of celebratory wine, and the applause as he walked in was deafening. Kijima felt a little proud to call Kuon his friend in that moment and then Kyoko had entered a while later and the genuine smiles of happiness on their faces as they met each other in the center of the room made Kijima feel regretful that Kuon was his friend. 

He couldn’t even bring himself to be angry at Kuon for having Kyoko’s wide smile directed at him. 

His brain had started to do that strange thing it always did whenever Kyoko was involved and he turned away from the couple. His eyes caught Kyoko’s two attendants walking towards the tables. Rather than sitting, they stood to the side and talked amongst themselves a few feet away. Kijima had seen them around a few times and they were always at Kyoko’s side as if they were attached to the hip. It was almost strange to see them away from the princess. They were definitely fae and both gave off a cool air of indifference. 

Not exactly Kijima’s usual type but both of them were cute in their own way. He stood and made his way over to them. 

The taller of the two noticed him first so he donned his most charming smile as he approached. 

“Hello, ladies.” 

The shorter girl turned towards him as he spoke and though her expression was soft and neutral her eyes were hard. 

“Are you lost, sir?“

“I’m Hidehito Kijima, a friend of Kuon’s.” Kijima introduced himself bowing slightly to them even though he knew he didn’t have to. 

“I noticed the two of you over here and couldn’t help myself from coming over. I didn’t know that the princess had such beautiful handmaidens attending to her but of course the crown would only employ the best of the best.“

“Yes. Because our beauty implies how well of a job we do.” The taller one said with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm sure it doesn't hurt." Kijima shrugged.

The shorter one cleared her throat. 

“Sir, is there anything you’d like us to help you with? If not, I suggest you find your seat. Or, do you need _ me _ to direct you.” She had a fake smile on her face.

“Fiesty. I like that. I wouldn’t have expected it from a girl that’s so adorably cute.” Kijima grinned. “You two are the kind of girls that sad men write songs about. The kind that are dangerously attractive but ice cold to the touch.” 

The taller one no longer had her fake smile on, and she seemed visibly annoyed.

“Alright, what was your name, again? Kijima? It’s the day of the princess’ wedding. And as you said yourself, we are her handmaidens. We most certainly do not have time to fraternize with her guests. So. Please, sit down.”

Kijima glanced towards the princess who was sitting and laughing heartily next to Kuon. “She doesn’t look like she needs the two of you for anything at the moment. In fact, I would say she looks entirely content right now. But if now is a bad time, that’s alright, I spend a lot of time in Vicinia. I’d love to… get to know the two of you better sometime.” 

The short one, still holding the fake smile stepped forward. 

“Well, it’s clear to see that you have trouble understanding people’s expressions. Like a princess who needs her handmaidens to remain unbothered. Our job isn’t to entertain a man who has trouble keeping his snake from jumping into every hole it sees.”

“Oh, I see.” Kijima nodded thoughtfully. “I get it. If you like to give insults, I could learn to like taking them. Everyone has their specific tastes.”

The two girls glanced at one another.

“I’ve met many men,” The taller one said. “But none of them have had such a poor attempt at getting me interested in them. Tell me, when you first met the princess and whispered _ sweet nothings _ in her ear, did you think that would have an effect also?”

Kijima’s eyes widened. “I may not look like it, but I know when to give up. Thank you for being so blunt, it’s nice to just get straight to the point instead of dancing around it. It’s refreshing” 

He nodded again, already turning around. “I’ll take my seat now, though. Thank you.” 

Behind them, Julienna stood and announced to the room that guests would now exchange sentiments with the bride and groom. 

Kijima returned to his seat and busied himself with slowly sipping on his champagne as everyone settled in their respective seats and turned their undivided attention to the large tables where the rulers of both Vicinia and Sylva were sitting. While Kijima was distracted, Kuon and Kyoko had taken their seats next to each other, surrounded on both sides by their parents. 

Kijima listened attentively as King Takarada stood and addressed his daughter, he thought it was hilarious that the man didn’t immediately approve of Kuon. Kijima was absolutely the type that parents wouldn’t approve of, next to him Kuon seemed like the perfect man to marry your daughter off to. Julienna spoke after King Takarada followed by Kuu. 

Next to him, Yashiro seemed restless. He was fidgeting and biting his lip as his gaze was firmly on the table in front of him. 

Kijima nudged him with his foot, careful that it was Yashiro’s foot that he was touching rather than the woman who’d been making eyes at him- because that would complicate things- and not the woman’s husband- because that would probably create a problem. 

Yashiro looked up at him curiously. 

“Say something, if you want to so badly.” Kijima urged quietly, rolling his eyes. “You only have this one chance, it’s not like Kuon gets married every day.” 

Yashiro furrowed his eyebrows. He stared at Kijima but it was obvious his mind was elsewhere. With a deep breath, he stood up and hesitantly began to speak. Kijima was proud of him even though he was shaking like a leaf with all the eyes in the room on him. He’d thought of saying something himself but he couldn’t think of the words to say. Kuon was holding Kyoko’s hand as they received praise and support from their friends and family and there was nothing in particular that Kijima wanted to say to either of them. 

Behind him, Kyoko’s handmaidens spoke up and gave their support to Kyoko with more warmth in their voices than Kijima had just heard when he talked to them. It was obvious that they cared a great deal for their princess. 

Just when Kijima thought that everyone who wanted to talk had said their piece, someone else stood up. He wasn’t able to identify the man at first since all he could see was the man’s back, but as he started to talk, Kijima recognized him as Kyoko’s ex-fiance. He had some serious balls to not only speak at Kyoko’s wedding but also to practically openly challenge Kuon for Kyoko’s hand. 

It was stupid and a little desperate considering that Kuon and Kyoko had just gotten happily married but Kijima could understand where he was coming from. If he, himself, wasn’t best friends with Kuon he might be inclined to say something similar. 

The air after the man finished talking was heavy with tension until Julienna stood again, thanked everyone for their kind words and announced that the royal couple would be having their first dance as husband and wife.

Kuon and Kyoko stood, beaming widely at each other as they made their way to the dance floor and the violinists began to play the smooth notes of a waltz. 

Kijima took his glass of wine in hand and drank half of it in one swallow. It was good wine, sweeter than what he was used to and the fizziness of it was surprisingly delightful. Occasionally, he glanced over at the dance floor in between sips but he wasn’t that interested in watching the first dance. 

He was looking forward to when the guests were allowed to dance, it was his favorite part of formal events like this. He loved the dancing and how often partners were changed. He was a brilliant dancer and took a certain joy in flustering whoever it was that he was dancing with. 

Kuon had clearly been practicing his own dancing. Kijima had only seen him dancing while he was being taught mercilessly by his mother and he had been _ terrible _. Now, though, he led Kyoko confidently through the dance, spinning and dipping her in time with the music. 

Kijima realized as he watched the two of them that he'd never really seen Kuon in a suit. At least not one so fancy. Formalities in Sylva didn't usually involve fancy clothes like formalities in Vicinia did. 

The fabric fit Kuon so perfectly it must have been fitted for him. It outlined his broad shoulders and accentuated his height. He looked good, Kijima had to admit. There were probably many women and men alike in the crowd that were envious of the princess and even more that were envious of Kuon. 

The dance drew to a close and the audience cheered loudly. Julienna made another announcement that guests were allowed on the dance floor now as the violins would continue to play through the night and the bar was open for refreshments. 

Kijima stood, stretched and sent one more flirtatious glance at the woman still sending him glances at the table before making his way over to Kuon. The princess had stepped away from him as her father approached her for a dance. 

Kuon looked around and met eyes with Kijima once he was left alone. A smile made its way onto his face as he approached. 

“Kuon.” Kijima greeted. “You look good in a suit.” 

“I sure hope so, I’ve been wearing it all day." Kuon smiled. "What did you think?” 

As usual, Kijima couldn't control his mouth. “Stunning, especially from afar. Probably would have taken my breath away up close.” 

Kuon frowned slightly. “The ceremony…? Or…?”

“The ceremony, _ of course _ .” Kijima promised even though that wasn't what he was talking about. The ceremony _ was _ breathtaking, though. “It was beautiful. Brought tears to my eyes a couple of times.” 

Kuon eyed Kijima for a second, but seemed to let the comment slide.

“Yeah, a hell of a ceremony, huh? Did you shed a tear seeing your only real relationship get hitched to a princess?” Kuon teased. 

Kijima was glad for the subject change. He'd gotten way too close to admitting something he shouldn't have. Flirting was his comfort, he could work with that. 

“Oh." He groaned, clutching his chest. "It was like a knife twisting in my heart. How could you do this to me? I thought we had something special.” 

Kijima pouted for a moment before smiling again as he squeezed Kuon’s shoulder. “I just wanted to congratulate you, really. I’ve never seen two people look at each other the way that the two of you did today. Love, huh?” 

He'd meant for his words to come out in a lighthearted and teasing way but by the way Kuon's face fell, he had a feeling he wasn't successful. 

“Yeah… Look, Kijima… I know I don’t- Alright, I’m never saying this again, but… I do love you. You know that right?” 

Kijima _ did _ know that which was why it made all of this so much harder. 

“Aww,” He cooed and patted Kuon’s cheek. “That was so cute. I love you, too. We’re good, don’t worry about it. I just… well I also sort of came over here to ask approval for a dance. If that’s alright?” 

Kijima needed to get away from Kuon and dancing with the princess seemed like the perfect distraction. Though, given that Kuon had caught on to… whatever it was that he was feeling for Kyoko, he wasn't exactly sure that Kuon would be alright with that. 

Kuon looked over at Kyoko. “I’m sure she wouldn’t mind, let’s go…” 

Kuon took a step closer to the crowd of people dancing and Kijima was surprised he hadn't thought to make that joke himself.

Kuon turned to him when he didn't move. “Unless, of course, you would like to dance with Kyoko, in which case, I don’t know why you’re asking me.”

Kijima rolled on the balls of his feet, glancing over at Kyoko briefly. It was starting to occur to him exactly what he'd just asked to do. He was feeling strangely nervous about talking to the princess today for some strange reason.

“I was just checking with you first. I promise to keep my hands above the waistline.” 

“Not too far above the waistline, I hope." Kuon winked. "Kijima, I trust you. Go. I have a dance with Jelly waiting for me.” Kuon tapped Kijima on the shoulder and headed to where Jelly sat.

Kijima watched as Kuon walked off until he lost track of him in the crowd of people. He turned and looked for Kyoko who was just turning away from her father as Julienna asked him for a dance. Knowing she wouldn't be alone for very long, Kijima walked towards her quickly. 

"Good evening, Princess." He greeted, bowing to her and donning a charming smile. She looked slightly surprised to see him suddenly but she smiled at him and honestly he forgot how to breathe for a moment. She'd changed out of her wedding dress into another white dress of billowing fabric and lace, so he couldn't even use that as an excuse for his sudden inability to breathe. 

"Oh, Hide, it's nice to see you. How are you?" She asked. Kijima blinked, momentarily startled by the nickname.

"Wonderful as always, while in your company." He winked and held out a hand. "Would you like to dance?" 

Kyoko's face colored slightly but she gracefully accepted his hand and let him pull her closer. As promised, he kept his hand at a respectable height on her waist and held the princess' hand gently with the other. 

They fell into rhythm with the music, twisting and turning so smoothly that one might have thought that they'd done this before. 

"You're pretty good at this." Kyoko commented after a few moments had passed. 

Kijima couldn't help the wide smirk that formed across his face. 

"What? Were you expecting me to be bad at it?"

Kyoko shook her head immediately. "No, of course not! You're just better than most of the people that I end up dancing with at formal events."

"Well, princess, I think you'll find that I'm better than the average person at a _ variety _ of different things. Dancing just happens to be one of them." 

"Really?" Kyoko mused clearly intrigued. "What's something else you're good at then?"

Kijima faltered ever so slightly but managed to cover it by leaning Kyoko into a sudden dip. He wasn't expecting her to ask something like that, so _ clearly _responding to his flirtation but completely oblivious that she had done it at all. 

"I have to keep the rest a secret." Kijima said once he'd pulled her back up with him. "I think that someone wouldn't appreciate me telling you very much." 

Kyoko pouted. "Aw. Okay. You know, we've met a handful of times and you're one of Kuon's best friends but I don't know very much about you." 

"I could say the same about you, princess. All of my information about you comes from Kuon rather than the source." 

"Well," Kyoko grinned up at him and she was so short from the angle, so _ small _in his arms. "I guess we'll have to change that then. Maybe we can meet some time and get to know each other better." 

Kijima's eyes widened. He was confused. Princess Kyoko couldn't possibly be so naive that she didn't understand what she was suggesting… _ right _? 

He decided to test it just to make sure. 

"Sure," He agreed. "A date perhaps?" 

Kyoko thought for a moment, pursing her lips slightly. "I guess you could call it that. It could be an informational date where we talk about ourselves but most importantly tell each other the most embarrassing stories of Kuon that we can think of. You wouldn't believe the story of how he proposed to me." 

Oh. _ Oh _ . So, she was either _ really _ that oblivious or purposefully saying things in a way that would confuse him. He wasn't expecting that at all, therefore he was completely blindsided by Kyoko's words. Something about today was really making his brain go haywire and somehow he'd managed to get his hopes up along the way. He should have known better. 

"Of course," He smiled, slowing down the tempo of their dance until they were standing. “Thank you for allowing me a dance, princess. I'm sure you have quite the line forming, so I won't take up too much of your time.” 

Kyoko looked a little confused by that comment but stepped away from him. 

"It's a date, then?" She asked, eyes wide and almost pleading. 

How could Kijima say no to that?

"It's a date." He promised, and winked at her one last time before turning around. 

He sighed heavily once his back was to her. He was going to need a _ lot more _ than sweet bubbly wine to make it through the rest of this night. 

He set his sights on the decently sized bar area that had been set up in a corner of the room. The majority of people heading in that direction were ordering a drink and then leaving but one figure remained seated on a stool.

People were giving him a fairly wide berth and, as Kijima approached, he recognized the back of the man. 

Shotaro Fuwa, Kyoko's ex-fiance. 

Kijima took up a seat right next to him and ordered something strong from the bartender. Shotaro paid no attention to him, silently nursing his drink and obviously brooding. 

"What are you doing over here all by yourself?" Kijima asked. He'd seen the girl that had been hanging all over the man earlier but he hadn't seen her again since the reception began. 

Shotaro glanced at him, eyes lingering for a long second, before finishing off his drink and ordering another. Kijima wondered if the man knew who he was. He'd certainly heard enough about Shotaro from Kuon.

"What else should I be doing at my ex-fiance's wedding besides drinking?" He muttered. "Of course, I could get high and pretend that it was me up there like it should have been. But I thought that I'd drown myself in my sorrows instead."

Kijima got the feeling that Shotaro had been sitting at the bar for a while now and that he was definitely _ not _ just finishing his first drink of the night. 

The bartender returned with both of their drinks and Kijima brought his up to toast. 

"To the bride and groom." He said, and didn't bother to wait for Shotaro to toast with him before downing his drink. "And to bad ideas, because I am an awful drunk." 

Shotaro took a sip of his own drink and turned to face Kijima, looking at him curiously. "Who are you, anyway?" 

"The groom's best friend. Hidehito Kijima." Shotaro stiffened immediately and his eyebrows furrowed suspiciously. 

"Don't worry, I don't have it out for you or anything. I have nothing against you other than the fact that you hurt Princess Kyoko. But it seems like you're beating yourself up over that enough." 

Shotaro relaxed slightly, but he still seemed more guarded than he was before. 

"No, by all means, say whatever you want. Believe me, I've heard enough of it from my parents. They always treated our relationship like a business deal so I cost them everything when I fucked up. So, _ please _, tell me that I'm a piece of shit for breaking Kyoko's heart. Tell me that I missed my chance and I'll never find a woman like her again." 

Kijima snickered, taking a long swig of his drink. He never was a fan of whiskey and whiskey was never a fan of him. He preferred wine. 

"I _ was _ going to tell you that you were pulling off the dark and broody character so well over here that I had no choice but to come and talk to you, but if you wanted to talk about an insult kink that's alright too."

Shotaro laughed seemingly despite himself and sipped from his glass. Kijima finished with his and ordered a second. 

"I _ cannot _ believe Kuon is friends with someone like you."

"What do you mean by that?” Kijima questioned with a smirk. “A devilishly handsome, charming man with sparkling wit and intellect?” 

Shotaro snorted a little too hard at that. “No, I meant someone so unbearably ill-mannered. Kuon seems way too stuck up to actually be friends with you.” 

Kijima wasn’t sure whether himself or Kuon were being insulted or both. 

“I have manners where it counts.” Kijima promised. 

Shotaro laughed loudly. “You are the most ridiculous person I think I’ve ever met and I _ grew up _ with Kyoko. I'm Sho, by the way. I'm sure you already know that if you're friends with Kuon, but I hate being called Shotaro so don't call me that."

"I wish we could have met under better circumstances, Sho." Kijima raised an eyebrow and took another swallow of his drink. "Maybe we could have been friends." 

Sho laughed again and downed his drink in one go. "In a different universe, we could have been _ best _ friends. We're both better looking than Kuon. Together we'd be... _ unstoppable _ . Women wouldn't know what to do with themselves with us around. _ Fuck _."

Kijima laughed along with him, mostly because it was so incredibly obvious that he was drunk, but he did find himself thinking the same. Somehow, even though they were both drinking, Sho _ much _ more than Kijima, they were both giving off the same energy. 

They would have easily been best friends in another life. But even in another life they'd probably still be sitting here at a bar at someone else's wedding getting drunk instead of actually celebrating. 

"I'd actually probably end up making out with you and ruining the whole friendship thing, though." Kijima admitted, tracing the rim of his cup with the top of his finger. It was empty and he wanted to get a refill but something told him that he probably shouldn't. 

Sho looked at him for a very long moment, so uncomfortably long of a moment that Kijima was actually feeling sort of nervous under his stare. Which was a new experience for someone that bathed in attention. 

"I mean… it doesn't _ have _ to ruin the friendship. We could make out and it wouldn't have to mean anything." Kijima's eyes widened. It sounded like Sho was actually _ suggesting _ that they made out. Kijima wasn't going to complain because Sho _ was _ incredibly good looking but that wasn't at all how he planned this night to go. 

Sho seemed to realize what he was insinuating as well and flushed a deep red. "I-I… I meant that I wouldn't be weird about it if we did- no! I meant that _ theoretically _ I wouldn't mind- no that's not what I meant either. Shit, I have had way too much to drink. I'm not trying to hit on you, I'm trying to get over being friendzoned by my ex-fiance by drowning myself in alcohol. That's what I was doing." 

Sho raised his hand to get another drink and Kijima turned away from him. If they kept talking like this they probably _ were _ going to end up making out and that's not what he wanted at all. Kijima didn't drink because while he rarely had control over his mouth when he was sober, he lost _ all _ control when he was drunk. 

There were less people on the dance floor when he turned around and he immediately caught sight of Julienna who was clearly out dancing her partner and becoming increasingly annoyed as they failed to keep up. 

Kijima stood, far too fast, considering that he was definitely bordering on being tipsy and heading straight into being drunk. 

"It was nice meeting you, Sho. I hope we can meet again under less drunk circumstances. I'm going to go save a damsel in distress."

Sho said something but Kijima was already walking away and the alcohol in his system was rushing in his ears. 

He approached Julienna and her partner. 

"Excuse me." He spoke loudly over the music so that they were forced to hear him over it. Julienna looked both surprised and relieved to see him. “Do you mind if I cut in?” 

Julienna separated from the human she was dancing with, sending an apologetic smile their way. “Oh, of course, I promised you a dance, Kijima, didn’t I? My apologies.”

She exchanged a few more pleasantries with her previous partner before placing her hand on Kijima’s shoulder and guiding him into a dance. 

“My goodness, dear, you couldn’t have appeared at a better time.” She sighed. “_ Kuon _ dances better than half of the people here and that’s saying something.” 

Kijima chuckled. “Yes, I saw that you were having trouble and decided that I’d come and save you.” 

Julienna grinned at him, then suddenly she increased the pace of their dance and forced him to lead more confidently. He, of course, took the sudden change in stride and began spinning her in circles as he spun around her. The very thing that her partner was struggling with moments ago. 

Her dress spun fluidly around her and she was the very epitome of grace and beauty. Honestly, Kijima had always been amazed by the mature charm of Julienna Hizuri. He knew her as Kuon’s mother, obviously, and since his parents were away so often when he was growing up she was somewhat of a maternal figure to him as well. Still, Julienna was the very picture of what every young girl aspired to be like when they were her age. 

She was delicate in her figure and movement, but she was firm and determined in her character. She wasn’t the kind of woman who let people walk all over her but she wasn’t so headstrong that she was unbearable to be around. She liked things her way and it was as simple as that. Kijima knew that he could talk to her about anything at all and she would listen patiently and judge him openly but she would offer him kind advice and a tender hug if he needed one. 

He knew that Julienna absolutely loved Kyoko with the way that she would always rave about the princess and demand that Kuon treat her with respect. He couldn’t help but wonder if the woman saw the same similarities in herself and Kyoko that Kijima saw. 

“You smell like alcohol, sweetheart.” Julienna noted after giggling gleefully when she hopped into the air briefly and Kijima, expecting it, caught her weight easily. 

There was more in that simple phrase than just her observation of his drinking and he knew it. 

“I may have had a drink or two.” He said, because if Julienna didn’t want to be blunt about it then he didn’t have to either. 

“You don’t drink.” She noted and her tone had changed to a more obviously questioning one. 

“Careful, Julienna,” Kijima warned. “I might start blushing if you let me think that you’ve had your eyes on me more often than I thought. You’ll wake all those fantasies of you that I’ve had since I was young. A young boy being around a woman like you starts to have _ all sorts _of wild ideas, you know.” 

Julienna laughed, _ loudly _, and Kijima should have known to expect nothing less from the woman. She laughed so heartily that she lost the rhythm of the music for a moment and struggled to find it again. 

“Dear, you’re going to have to try _ much _ harder than that to fluster me. I’m almost positive that I’ve walked in on you more than once when you were a bumbling teen with your hand down your pants _ undoubtedly _ thinking about me nude. I’d be more surprised if you _ hadn’t _ .” _ Well, then _ . Now, Kijima _ was _ blushing and he’d sooner die than admit it was because of embarrassment.

“Besides,” Julienna continued, taking control of the dance once again. “Don’t forget that I’ve changed your soiled nappies almost as often as my own son’s. I know you just as well as I know him and I know that you haven’t drank anything but wine after you drank so much whiskey that you threw up into some poor girl’s mouth when you were trying to have her some odd years ago. And yet, here you are. Reeking of whiskey.” 

Kijima cringed at the horrible memory. That wasn’t even the worst part of the night. Before throwing up, he’d rambled to the girl about every single problem in his life since he was born until she’d tried to sleep with him just to shut him up. 

“It seems like the night for it.” He shrugged, spinning her around so they could do a different variation of the dance. It placed him behind her so that she couldn’t look at his face. He didn’t even want to know what sort of expression he was making. Whatever it was, Julienna would probably be able to read everything from it, if she hadn’t already.

“Kijima…” Julienna sighed. “You can have whatever you want. You know that. You’re well aware of it. Just because Kuon wants it doesn’t mean he has to have it. Yes, he’s my son, but please put yourself first a little more often. You’re allowed to be just as happy as he is.” 

Maybe it was the whiskey but something about Julienna’s words had angered him intensely. Normally, he wouldn’t have been bothered and would have laughed it away but… something about today just wouldn’t let him. 

“What? So, I should have taken what I wanted knowing that it would hurt him and not give a shit about it? I should just do whatever the hell I want, just because I want to? Just because I can?” 

Julienna turned and took control of the dance just long enough so that she could face him again. “Having what you want doesn’t make you a bad person. It doesn’t make you greedy or selfish. You’re only a bad person if you don’t care about how your decisions make other people feel. I’m only saying that it’s a slightly better feeling to drink yourself into a stupor knowing that you failed rather than knowing that you never even tried.” 

She was looking at him softly, knowing that they were dancing around the subject and well aware that he didn’t want to talk about it. She looked like she wanted to hug him but was worried that he’d run away or close off even more if she did. Yes, in a lot of ways Julienna was like a mother to him. 

“A drink is a drink. It goes down the same way and it stings the same way and it burns just as bad when it comes back up.” He slowed the dance to a stop and forced a smile onto his face as he looked at her. A smirk, one of his signature ones. He was sure it drove everyone it was directed to wild. 

“It doesn’t matter.” 

Julienna smiled sweetly at him and leaned up to his ear. 

“_ Yes, it does _.” She whispered, and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. 

“You don’t mind if I cut in, do you Kijima?” Kuu asked from beside them. Julienna turned to her husband in slight surprise. Obviously, she hadn’t noticed the man. Kijima had seen him approaching them from over Julienna’s shoulder and had stopped the dance knowing that he was walking towards them specifically to dance with his wife. And if that wasn’t Kuu’s intention, Kijima was going to use him as a way to get out of this conversation- no matter what. 

“Of course, not.” Kijima said, stepping away from Julienna. “Everyone in the room should have to pay to witness the two of you dancing together.” 

Kuu bashfully smiled and snaked a hand around his wife’s waist. “Oh, I wouldn’t go that far. We’ve just gone to so many formal events that we learned the best way to actually have _ fun _ at them is to dance. After a while, you just end up being pretty good at it.” 

“No,” Kijima shook his head, he couldn’t stop rambling even if he wanted to. All of the spinning and twirling paired with the whiskey was hitting him _ hard _ now that he was standing still. “I meant how jaw-droppingly _ amazing _the two of you look together. The most handsome man in the room with the most beautiful woman in the room. Kyoko and Kuon have nothing on the two of you. You make a brilliant couple. No wonder you made such a good looking son. I think the world might implode if you had another kid. Thank goodness it was just one.” 

Kuu’s eyes were wide in confusion and he opened his mouth for a moment before closing it again, clearly at a loss for what to say. 

“Don’t mind him,” Julienna laughed. “He’s been drinking. You know how he gets. He might honestly come onto you if you talk to him for long enough.” 

“I really might,” Kijima agreed, and he was well aware that he could barely stand straight. “What do you think about being called _ daddy _ ? Or is that weird because I’m friends with your son? Does _ he _ call you daddy? Ugh, I hope not.” 

Kuu’s mouth opened even wider in shock and Julienna quickly herded him away, giggling. 

“Don’t drink anymore whiskey tonight and you’ll be fine, dear. Make sure you get back home safe!” She called over her shoulder as the two of them began to dance. 

Kijima sighed, trying to will his head to stop spinning since he had stopped moving moments ago. Maybe dancing wasn’t the best idea after having more whiskey in a single night than he does in a whole year in the span of twenty minutes. He spotted a large group of empty chairs and tables at the far end of the room and slowly made his way over to them. 

He sat down heavily and watched the large group of people in the room dance and laugh cheerfully. It was nice to know that, at least, _ some _ people were having fun at the wedding. Watching all of the long dresses spin was making him nauseated so he turned away and saw someone approaching him. 

“Hey, Yashiro!” Kijima greeted brightly. 

He’d barely seen the man all night. They had sat together during the speeches but Kijima hadn’t seen him since then.

“Where have you been all my night?” Kijima asked, and snorted at his own joke. Yashiro raised an eyebrow but sat down in a chair next to him. He faced looking out towards the crowd and though he looked just as put together as usual, there was something about his demeanor that seemed exhausted. 

“I haven’t even seen you dancing with anyone. How can you get away with that? I’ve been dancing almost all night.”

“Are you drunk?” Yashiro asked after a long moment had passed. Kijima had given up on waiting for him to answer. 

“Maybe.” He shrugged. The correct answer was- _ yes _. 

“You don’t drink.” Yashiro noted and he had a similar tone that Julienna had. Kijima didn’t understand why everyone was reminding him of that fact when he was very well aware of it, himself. 

“It’s a wedding, so I figured why not?” 

Yashiro paused like he was going to say something else and Kijima wasn’t looking forward to _ round two _ of this conversation so he quickly changed the subject. If everyone wanted to give _ him _ advice that he didn’t want to hear, he could do the same thing. 

“You know, I’m sorry he never noticed.”

He could immediately feel Yashiro’s questioning gaze on him, as if the older had almost given himself whiplash by how quickly he moved, and turned to meet it. 

“Never noticed what? What are you talking about?” Yashiro asked. He pushed his glasses up on his face and probably didn’t even realize how intense his expression had become. 

“He may not have noticed, but I did. I can smell pining from miles away. It’s a secret talent of mine.” He turned fully to face Yashiro. “I honestly can’t even believe he never realized you weren’t interested in women. He tried to get me to set you up with girls I know so many times. You should have just told him.” 

Yashiro stared at him for an extended moment of silence and Kijima was glad he wasn’t trying to play innocent. They both knew what he was talking about, he didn’t want to be cruel and spell it out if he didn’t have to. 

“There’s a reason I never did and that reason still stands. I’m content to continue as we are.” 

“That’s stupid,” Kijima said, rolling his eyes. “That’s just something you’ve convinced yourself. It’s not how you actually feel. Trust me, it’ll be better to just get it off your chest for once and for all. Just go find him and tell him. You’ll feel better afterwards.” 

Yashiro’s expression changed and he suddenly looked angry. It was a touch past the usual look of irritation he wore and Kijima didn’t like it at all. 

“_ Sure _ . I’ll just go and tell my best friend that I’ve been in love with him for twelve years on his wedding night. I’m sure that after he kindly rejects me, tells me that he’s sorry he had _ no idea _ , looks at me with pity in his eyes that wasn’t there before, and our entire relationship changes forever that I’ll feel _ fantastic _.” 

Kijima’s eyes widened. “_ Twelve _ years? Sorry, I didn’t realize it was that long. You’re in _ way _ too deep. You’ve never tried to… get _ over him _ and date someone else before?” 

Yashiro’s mouth was pressed into a tight line. “I don’t dislike my feelings for him. I don’t wish they would go away. As I said before, I’m perfectly fine with the way our relationship is now.” 

Kijima thought for a moment licking his bottom lip thoughtfully. “I mean, I’m single and looking to get over someone. Maybe we could make a mutually beneficial relationship together.” 

“I’d rather not.” Yashiro deadpanned. 

Kijima scoffed, mildly offended. “Hey! We’re friends, that’s only a couple steps away from dating! I’ve been with men before, it’s a bit of an adjustment but I could get used to it. If I tried to honestly flirt with you, I’m sure I’d be hard to resist.” 

Yashiro looked at him flatly. “I can’t quite bring myself to say that I _ appreciate _ the offer but thanks, anyway. Your advice has been… indispensable as usual.” 

He stood from the table and smoothed out his suit. 

“Where are you going?” Kijima asked. 

“Home. I think that I’ve grown tired of the festivities today.” Yashiro sighed and took his leave. “Goodnight.” 

Kijima watched him go thoughtfully. Yashiro wasn’t exactly his type either, he was far too uptight and trying to get him to honestly have fun would have been an entirely different chore that he wasn’t sure he’d be up to. He hadn’t thought of it before but somehow a singular woman had taken over his heart, he couldn’t help comparing every other woman to her and they all paled in comparison. So much that he wasn’t even interested. A man though… he could probably make some space in his heart for a man. 

Alcohol was still running rampant in his veins, not allowing him to sit still so Kijima stood and looked around. Somehow, the crowd had thinned considerably while Kijima was talking to Yashiro, and there were far less people on the dance floor than before. 

Across the way, sitting at the lounge seats set up the furthest away from the band, likely so that people could talk comfortably, he spotted a familiar face. Jelly, sitting all alone. Wondering how her night had been so far, he began to make his way over to her. As he walked, he tried desperately to ignore the fact that neither the princess nor Kuon were anywhere to be seen. In fact, he hadn’t seen them in quite a while. 

They had probably snuck off somewhere to themselves, to properly celebrate their wedding night together. _ Good _, he was happy for them. 

“Hello, beautiful.” Kijima greeted as he approached Jelly. The woman was a good friend of his. He’d met her a few times when he was young and often made trips to her home in the woods to keep her from getting too lonely. She was like an older sister to him in a way, and she no doubt thought of him as a moderately annoying younger brother. 

Jelly’s eyes widened and her smile was bright when she set eyes on him. “Hey, handsome! You will not _ believe _ what happened tonight!” 

“I’m sure I won’t.” Kijima smiled, playing along. 

Jelly leaned in closer to him even though no one was around to hear their conversation anyway.

“I talked to the _ king _. Lory Takarada, himself.” 

Kijima’s eyes widened, he hadn’t expected that at all. He was drunk but not drunk enough to not realize how important something like that would be to Jelly. She’d been obsessing- though, Kijima would say _ in love- _with the human man for almost as long as Kijima had been alive. 

“You did? What did you talk to him about? When?!” 

Jelly closed her eyes, clearly reminiscing as she swooned. “Oh, he’s aged like a fine wine since I last saw him. His jaw is still cut like stone, and though he’s aged, he still has a boyish charm to his smile, and-”

“Are you going to tell me what happened or keep talking about how good he looks with stars in your eyes? You are _ so _ in love with him.” Kijima teased. Jelly shushed him, looking around to make sure no one had heard what he said. 

“I danced with Kuon and he ended up introducing me to the king as his next dance partner. He practically shoved me into the king’s arms, I can’t believe him! I was so nervous, I thought I was going to _ die _ right there in his arms. Wouldn’t that have been romantic?” 

Kijima didn’t think it sounded romantic at all but he nodded, encouraging Jelly to continue her story. 

“He was so sweet though, just _ so _ charming. He kept talking to me even though I was barely able to answer him and eventually I was able to get up my courage to tell him about the day that I met him. He _ remembered _ me, Kijima! He told me that he remembered the little girl that had come up to him with a beaming smile and bright eyes and he remembered her being yanked away from him. He said he tried to find me, since he was worried if I was okay or not but since I’d run away from home there was nothing he could do. All this time later and he said he still wondered if that little girl was alright.” 

Jelly looked close to tears so Kijima opened his arms so she could hug him. She moved closer to him, squeezing him tightly as she sniffled lightly into his ear. 

“Do you believe in true love?” She asked him quietly once she pulled away from him. Her gaze was searching, boring into him as if desperately waiting to hear the answer that she wanted. 

Kijima didn’t think about things like _ true love _ , often. Hell, he barely thought about love at all, it had rarely been in his life and he didn’t actively go searching for it. Still, looking at Kyoko and Kuon… maybe he had no choice _ but _ to believe in it. It certainly seemed like the two were made for each other. 

“No,” He answered honestly and Jelly’s face immediately fell. “But I think that if two people love each other, they can be happy together.” 

Jelly’s face brightened as she smiled and then, as if it was never there, she frowned and looked down. “I can’t believe I'm being so silly. How could he ever love _ me _ ? I can’t compete with _ half _ of the women that came to this wedding today, let alone all the women of the world. He could have _ anyone _. Why would he settle for me?” 

Kijima sighed. There was nothing more in the world he hated than people being insecure about themselves. _ Confidence _ was sexy, it was what drew people in and attracted them without needing to be the most beautiful person in the world. Jelly could have half the men in Vicinia easily drooling after her but she was too distracted by her own insecurities to realize that. 

“Jelly, you do realize you’re one of the last of the fae to have magic, right? I think that makes you pretty special in my eyes. There _ isn’t _ another woman like you.”

Jelly sighed as if she was considering that fact but she ended up shaking her head. “Without my magic, I’m _ plain _. I’m not particularly pretty and I’m not particularly cute and I’m nowhere near as charming as you. The king probably still thinks of me as that child he wanted to save all those years ago, I doubt he’d ever look at me as a woman.” 

“Well, if your appearance bothers you so much,” Kijima began without thinking. “Can’t you just do what you do for Kuon?”

“What do you mean?” Jelly questioned, looking up at him curiously. 

“Ren!” Kijima cried, frustrated that she wasn’t following along. “Just do what you did with him but put some fae magic on _ yourself _, instead. Make yourself look so incredibly gorgeous that the king won’t be able to control himself!” 

Jelly giggled at the absurdity of what Kijima was suggesting. “That’s the worst idea I’ve ever heard.” 

“I know.” Kijima grinned. “I just said it so that you’d realize it was better to face him as you are. Give it your all, and if it’s meant to be- it’ll be.” 

Jelly smiled, and a light blush rose to her cheeks. “I never thought I would ever be taking relationship advice from _ you _. You’ve never even been in an actual relationship before." 

Something about that was hurtful to him, snapping him out of his drunken stupor like water being splashed on his face. _ He’d never even been in an actual relationship before _ . He could have, if he’d tried. But Kijima didn’t _ do _ relationships. They weren’t for everyone and they certainly weren’t for him. So… _ why _ was he suddenly wanting one so badly with someone he couldn’t have? 

“Doesn’t mean I don’t know how they work.” Kijima shrugged, smirking harder against the sudden weight on his lips. “Besides, I don’t have to know about relationships to know that _ anyone _ would be lucky to have you.” 

Jelly blushed brightly as she smiled, shoving Kijima away from her in obvious embarrassment. “Oh my goodness! You are _ such _ a charmer, stop it!” 

Kijima leaned closer to her as she scooted away from him, wondering how deep the blush on her cheeks could get. “I’m _ serious _ . I mean if you weren’t so helplessly in love with the king that it’s a completely lost cause, I’d probably have fallen just as madly in love with _ you _.”

“Kijima!” Jelly wailed, refusing to even look at him now. “Don’t say stuff like that! I know you’re messing with me but my brain won’t be able to forget about it!” 

“Who said I was messing with you?” Kijima pressed, raising his eyebrows as he gave up on trying to get her to look at him. Pretending that he was serious was probably the best way to get her to look at him anyway. 

And, just as he expected, she stopped desperately avoiding him and turned to him in shock. She studied his face for a moment with mild horror before she saw something- probably his lip quivering as he tried not to smile, and sighed in obvious relief. 

“I can’t believe I almost fell for that.” She shook her head and Kijima stopped fighting his smile. “You’ve been acting so strangely lately. You’ve even been drinking today, and you _ never _ drink. I can’t figure out why, so I thought maybe it was something crazy like you actually falling for me but I should have known better. The day that _ you _ fall in love with someone is the day that the world ends.” 

Kijima titled his head in thought. “The world hasn’t ended yet, though?” 

Jelly frowned and then her mouth opened slightly in shock as she realized what Kijima had just said. 

Before she could say anything, which she was clearly going to do judging by the frantic look in her eyes, they were interrupted by someone approaching them. 

“Excuse me?” Kijima turned to see a young girl, _ the flower girl _ from the wedding ceremony, standing a few feet away from them. 

She was standing with her hands behind her back, looking directly at Jelly with a nervous expression. 

“Well, you might just be the prettiest girl I’ve seen all day.” Kijima smiled. “What can I do for you?”

The little girl looked at him, obviously studying his appearance as her eyes wandered over him slowly. Kijima smiled encouragingly. Children were usually just as enchanted by him as everyone else and he had a soft spot for them in his heart even though he knew he’d probably never have any himself. Their bright eyes and wide smiles, untainted by the darkness of life, always lifted his spirits. 

The little girl’s eyes changed and she was suddenly looking at him with a mix of mild disgust and contempt. Kijima’s eyes widened. He didn’t even know that children could make such expressions. 

“I wasn’t talking to _ you _.” The girl sneered. She turned back to Jelly and her expression changed immediately to a wide smile. 

“Hello, I’m Maria Takarada. The princess’ niece. Kuon told me that you could do magic? Is that true?”

Jelly smiled warmly at Maria and Kijima tried to hide the shocked offense from his face. He’d never been so harshly rejected, and by a _ little girl _ at that. His pride was taking the beating of a lifetime today.

“Yes, it is true.” Jelly nodded. “My name is Jelly, nice to meet you, Maria. Would you like for me to show you something?” 

Maria was nodding before the words left her mouth. “Yes! Yes, please. If… if you don’t mind.” 

“Not at all. Come here, sweetheart.” Maria stepped closer to Jelly and Kijima sighed, taking that as his cue to leave. _ Clearly _ he wasn’t wanted there. 

He stood, looking around the large ballroom. Most of the crowd had cleared and, as Kijima looked around, he realized that there was almost nobody left in the room that he knew. He tried to ignore the fact that it had been a _ long while _ since he last saw Kuon and Kyoko. They clearly hadn’t stuck around to say goodbye to the guests. 

Near him, the servers that had been making their way around the room, were beginning to clean. Someone walked past him holding a tray of wine flutes. Most of them were empty but one was mostly full. Quickly, Kijima stepped forward and grabbed the flute, immediately downed it and placed it back on the tray. The server looked surprised by his sudden action but Kijima flashed them a smile and walked away. 

Even Sho had disappeared from the bar. Kijima wondered where everyone had gone but he wasn’t that interested in finding anyone. 

“Excuse me, son.” A voice called from behind him and Kijima spun around, _ far _ too quickly. His eyes widened as he realized that _ Lory Takarada _ , the _ king _ of Vicinia was standing before him and he desperately tried to play off the fact that he was so drunk he could barely stand straight. Curse him for being such a fucking lightweight. 

“Um… yes, sir? I mean… your- your majesty?” King Takarada raised his eyebrows and seemed mildly amused by Kjima’s stumbling. 

“At ease, son. Just sir is fine.” The wine that Kijima had just gulped down was most _ definitely _ a mistake. He’d sobered up in the conversation with Jelly and now he felt even more drunk than before. Far too drunk to be having a conversation with the _ king _. His brain was already conjuring up all sorts of things and he was desperate to not let any of it come out of his mouth. 

No questions about if the man _ preferred _ to be called _ sir _ . No wondering if he would like the word coming out of Kijima’s mouth in different circumstances. No asking what would happen if he _ didn’t _ call him sir. 

Jelly was right, Lory Takarada was tall, dark, and handsome and looked _ much _ better up close than Kijima thought he would. 

“I’ve seen you with Kuon a few times,” _ Had he now _, Kijima wondered. “So, I’m making the assumption that the two of you are friends. Let me know if I’ve made a mistake in assuming that.”

“Um, no we’re… we’re friends. He’s one of my best friends actually.” Kijima was proud of himself. Both, for not stuttering and also for not saying anything that was on his mind. 

“Wonderful!” The king smiled. “I was wondering if you had any idea where he is? I’m trying to find him.” 

Kijima glanced around but shrugged. “No, sorry. I haven’t seen him in a while. I… I assumed he was with the princess.” 

He wasn’t sure if it was imagining it or not but the king’s face suddenly hardened and his smile faded before the patient smile returned. 

“Yes, well. That’s where he _ should _ be isn’t it? By my daughter’s side. Yet, the two of them disappeared for a while and now my daughter’s handmaidens are telling me that she’s requesting his presence. But I can’t seem to find him anywhere. Many of the young men went out to a bar not far from here. Maybe I’ll have to check there.” 

Kijima was getting the feeling that the king wasn’t Kuon’s biggest fan. 

The king looked at him for a long moment and Kijima suddenly realized that he was waiting for some kind of response. 

“Do you ever get lonely, sir?” Well… that wasn’t what he wanted to say at all. 

The man looked surprised by the sudden question but seemed to think about it honestly. “I… I suppose. It’s only natural that people become lonely at times. I think it makes us appreciate the people around us more.” 

“But you’ve been single for _ so _ long.” Kijima clearly had no control of his mouth anymore. He wondered if he’d end up thrown into a dungeon for being so direct with the king. He couldn’t bring himself to care about that, though. “I definitely couldn’t do that. I mean, do you ever take your citizens or maybe servants to bed? How have you coped all these years?” 

The king’s mouth had dropped open and Kijima’s drunk brain didn’t put together the fact that he should probably _ stop talking _ ** _now_ **. 

“If you do, I’d be interested. I have no plans for the night. Oh. I guess someone else might be interested too, but I don’t want to speak on behalf of her.”

The king’s expression had shifted from shock into slight horror and he took a noticeable step away from Kijima. 

“What was your name, again?” He asked, and Kijima suddenly realized that his mouth had taken on a mind of it’s own. 

“Uh… You know, I’m gonna-” Kijima hiked a thumb in a vague direction behind him. “I think I’ve had way too much to drink. Maybe I should get some fresh air outside. So, I’m gonna- yeah go. My apologies. Good luck finding Kuon.” 

He backed up slowly from the king, bending over in a bow so he wasn’t brazenly turning his back on the man, though he doubted something like that would be worse than how he had already acted. When he was far enough away, he turned on his heel and rushed toward an exit. 

Once, he was outside, Kijima took a deep breath and wondered just how his night had turned out this way. He wasn’t usually ashamed of the way he acted or his overly flirty personality, it was just how he was. But _ tonight _, he sighed again, tonight he couldn’t keep count of how many times he’d made a fool of himself. 

“Long night?” A voice questioned. Kijima turned towards it, startled. He wasn’t expecting anyone else to be hanging around at this time of night. 

A man stood, leaning against the stone of the castle entrance. A plume of smoke rose from his mouth and Kijima realized that he was smoking tobacco. 

“You could say that.” Kijima scoffed, looking around and trying to avoid how nice a smoke sounded. He was determined to stop talking to people tonight but the way back to his home was long and now that he was out of the ballroom, exhaustion settled on his bones. 

“Oh. You’re Kuon’s friend, aren’t you?” The man asked and he sounded vaguely annoyed all of a sudden. 

Kijima couldn’t see him well in the darkness, but he did look sort of familiar. He had no idea where he’d seen the man before, though. 

“Yup, that’s me.” Kijima spat, entirely fed up with being reminded of that fact so many times tonight. “Kuon’s best friend who always has his friend’s best interests in mind. I should get an award, really. I do so much for him, I might just be the best friend in the world.” 

“Well, you did stop him from attacking me in the middle of a crowded square, so I guess I owe you a thanks, as well.” The man said taking another long drag of his cigar. 

Kijima frowned, looking over the man closely. He stepped forward as if realizing that Kijima couldn't see him well and all of a sudden it dawned on him who he was talking to. 

"The name is Taira Murasame. In case, you don't remember that either." 

"I remember you." Kijima nodded even though he hadn't at all until just now. All he really remembered from that day was Kuon punching him but Murasame didn't need to know about that. 

"I remember you, too." Murasame said, stepping even closer to him. "Kijima, right?" 

"Right." Kijima swallowed. "Uh… do you mind if I take a drag of that?" 

He motioned to the cigar perched between Mursasame's fingers. 

The man's eyes dropped down to the cigar and he offered it with a shrug. 

"Sure. Think of it as a peace offering." 

Kijima raised an eyebrow, bringing the cigar up to his mouth and taking a deep drag. The smoke settled warmly in his chest and he was instantly calmed as he exhaled. "A peace offering? For what?" 

"Well, it's not that I don't regret leaving Kuon's friend- 

"Yashiro." Kijima supplied. 

"Right. Yashiro, sorry." Murasame bashfully scratched at his neck. "It's not that I don't regret leaving him in that tree. I forgot about it, that's true, but I remember what we did and it was terrible. If I ever see him again, I would absolutely apologize. I just don't think it's worth attacking someone over. I mean we were kids, kids are assholes." 

Kijima couldn't really argue with that. 

"The two of them are really close." He said, instead. 

Murasame nodded and Kijima casually continued to smoke his cigar. He wasn't entirely sure he wanted to give it back unless he was asked to. 

"Anyway, I meant that I don't have any hard feelings about it. I'd rather bury the hatchet and all. Maybe start again. That was the first time we met and I feel like I didn't make a good impression." 

Kijima stilled for a second as he was bringing the cigar to his mouth again. 

"You wanted to make a good impression with me?" He wondered, utterly confused. 

It was then that Kijima realized how intently Murasame was looking at him. He would have noticed it immediately if he wasn't drunker than he'd been in years. 

"Yeah, I guess so." 

Kijima hummed and blew the smoke into the man's face. Murasame didn't even flinch. 

"Why is that?" 

Murasame shrugged and moved a step closer. So close that Kijima could smell the strong smell of wood and smoke on him. 

"I don't know." Murasame shrugged. "I thought it'd be easier to get you into my bed if you didn't hate me." 

"Oh," Kijima nodded. "So, you said all of that just to get into my pants. Classic." 

"Well… yeah." Murasame stepped even closer, invading Kijima's space and making him dizzy. "All of it was true, though. It would be worse if you found out later that I was lying about it." 

“It would.” Kijima agreed and cursed himself for having suddenly lost the ability to flirt. He was too overwhelmed with how close Murasame was and how devastatingly handsome he was all of a sudden. 

"I'm… I mean, I'm Kuons best friend. I don't have anything against you but I'm pretty sure he still hates your guts. I don't think that he or Yashiro would appreciate me talking to you more than necessary. I'm pretty sure that would make me a bad friend, actually."

"I don't really care if you're friends with Kuon." Murasame tilted his head. "Do you care about being a bad friend?"

Kijima thought about it and all that had happened because of him trying to be a good friend. It hadn't been that rewarding. 

"No." Kijima shook his head, dropping the cigar and putting it out with his boot. "But-"

Before he could get the words out, Murasame swooped forward, smashing their mouths together. Kijima was too shocked to respond for a moment but Murasame kissed him harder and his brain stopped short circuiting long enough to realize what was happening. 

Just as he began to kiss back, Murasame pulled away from him. 

"Wait- sorry, are you _ drunk _? You taste like alcohol." He'd backed away but his hands stayed firmly on Kijima's shoulders, steadying him. 

"I… yeah… actually I think I-" Kijima was unable to finish his sentence because a surge rushed through him suddenly, sending him doubling over. 

Murasame swore and rubbed his back soothingly as he vomited the entire contents of his stomach out onto the grass. 

When he was done dry heaving, he stood up shakily and sort of wanted to die because he couldn't believe this was happening to him again. 

"This is… why I should never drink." He gasped and Murasame began laughing loudly. 

"Do you have any way of getting home?" 

"Walking." Kijima answered, smiling sarcastically because he wouldn't even get halfway there before collapsing and they both knew it. 

"Why don't you stay over at mine?" Murasame offered. "I live pretty close to the border so it wouldn't be that far to walk in the morning." 

Kijima wasn't entirely sure what to say. Mostly because he felt another wave of nausea coming up and it was taking all of his energy to keep it down. 

Murasame seemed to take his silence as hesitance, though. 

"I mean you can just sleep there. I'm not going to try anything, I would never take advantage of anyone that's been drinking."

Kijima sighed heavily. "Alright. Lead the way, captain." 

Murasame laughed and began walking slowly, carefully matching Kijima's pace. 

"You're already role playing?" He asked and sounded amused but Kijima wasn't drunk enough to miss the interest hidden just underneath. 

Kijima smiled, wildly amused, and pointed at Murasame. 

"I like you." 

Murasame smirked. "Good. I was hoping you would."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...And that's the end, folks! 
> 
> It feels surreal to finally be posting this chapter and putting a close this extremely long journey of ours. We're going on 4 years since we first started this story lol! Hopefully, you all enjoyed and had a good time. I don't think either of us have ever even tried to write a romantic comedy before so this was definitely an adventure. Thank you for reading and thank those of you who bookmarked, gave kudos, or left comments. We really do appreciate it SO much. It felt like this story was never going to see the light of day and now that it has it's awesome to see how much people enjoyed it. 
> 
> I'm definitely rambling now but from two best friends to you - thank you! We appreciate every single one of you for making writing this story feel worth it. We'll see you around! :)

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


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